Answering this question may give you the courage you need to take the first step. Below are tools you can use to determine if you are morbidly obese and potentially a candidate for weight loss surgery.
There are several medically accepted criteria for defining morbid obesity. You are likely morbidly obese if you are:
- more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight, or
- have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40, or
- have a BMI of over 35 and are experiencing severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, related to being severely overweight
- unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically supervised dieting
BMI Calculator
Enter the values on the left and click “Calculate BMI”. Note that these are approximate values, and are intended to be used only as a rough guide.
Ideal Body Weight Chart
| Height | Male Ideal Weight (lbs) | Female Ideal Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| 4' 6" | 63 - 77 | 63 - 77 |
| 4' 7" | 68 - 84 | 68 - 83 |
| 4' 8" | 74 - 90 | 72 - 88 |
| 4' 9" | 79 - 97 | 77 - 94 |
| 4' 10" | 85 - 103 | 81 - 99 |
| 4' 11" | 90 - 110 | 86 - 105 |
| 5' 0" | 95 - 117 | 90 - 110 |
| 5' 1" | 101 - 123 | 95 - 116 |
| 5' 2" | 106 - 130 | 99 - 121 |
| 5' 3" | 112 - 136 | 104 - 127 |
| 5' 4" | 117 - 143 | 108 - 132 |
| 5' 5" | 122 - 150 | 113 - 138 |
| 5' 6" | 128 - 156 | 117 - 143 |
| 5' 7" | 133 - 163 | 122 - 149 |
| 5' 8" | 139 - 169 | 126 - 154 |
| 5' 9" | 144 - 176 | 131 - 160 |
| 5' 10" | 149 - 183 | 135 - 165 |
| 5' 11" | 155 - 189 | 140 - 171 |
| 6' 0" | 160 - 196 | 144 - 176 |
| 6' 1" | 166 - 202 | 149 - 182 |
| 6' 2" | 171 - 209 | 153 - 187 |
| 6' 3" | 176 - 216 | 158 - 193 |
| 6' 4" | 182 - 222 | 162 - 198 |
| 6' 5" | 187 - 229 | 167 - 204 |
| 6' 6" | 193 - 235 | 171 - 209 |
| 6' 7" | 198 - 242 | 176 - 215 |
| 6' 8" | 203 - 249 | 180 - 220 |
| 6' 9" | 209 - 255 | 185 - 226 |
| 6' 10" | 214 - 262 | 189 - 231 |
| 6' 11" | 220 - 268 | 194 - 237 |
| 7' 0" | 225 - 275 | 198 - 242 |
Criteria for Surgery
The minimum insurance qualification for consideration as a candidate for the procedure is either a Body Mass Index of 40 or greater or a BMI of 35 or higher if the patient is suffering from serious negative health effects, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea. The average female in the U.S. is 5 feet, 4 inches tall; at a weight of 234 pounds, she will have a BMI of 40 and meet criteria for surgery. In many cases, insurance companies require proof that attempts at non-surgical dietary weight loss have been ineffective before surgery will be approved.
There are potentially some patients who do not meet these criteria who we feel may be good candidates for surgery. That will be determined on an individual basis by your surgeon.
More important, however, is the commitment on the part of the patient to the required long-term follow-up care. Patients are required to demonstrate serious motivation and a clear understanding of the extensive dietary, exercise, behavioral and medical guidelines that must be followed for the remainder of their lives after having weight loss surgery.