Am I a Candiate for Weight Loss Surgery ?
Weight loss surgery candidacy is determined by several factors, but the Body Mass Index (BMI) is usually used to determine eligibility.
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of fat content in the body. BMI can be considered an alternative for direct measures of body fat. Additionally, BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
How reliable is BMI as an indicator of body fatness?
The correlation between the BMI number and body fatness is fairly strong; however the correlation varies by sex, race, and age. These variations include the following examples:
- At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men.
- At the same BMI, older people, on average, tend to have more body fat than younger adults.
- Highly trained athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness.
It is also important to remember that BMI is only one factor related to risk for disease. For assessing someone’s likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines recommend looking at two other predictors:
- The individual’s waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases).
- Other risk factors the individual has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity).
Know More
- Single Incision Lap-Band ?
- About Dr. Ganta
- Am I a Candidate ?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Visit the AIBL Website
More Information
- To find out more about Body Mass Index scores for Adults, see:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention