Criteria For Weight Loss Surgery

Criteria for Weight-loss Surgery

Weight-loss surgery may be considered if:

• Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher
• Your BMI is 35 to 39.9, and you have a serious weight-related health problem such as diabetes or high blood pressure

The surgical treatment of obesity has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. Today, the two most widely performed weight loss surgeries are the gastric bypass and lap band procedures (also known as laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding).

Early studies from Europe showed weight loss results that were less significant with the lap band procedure than the gastric bypass. However, more up-to-date studies have published results which show that after a two year period, weight loss via the lap band is comparably equal to the gastric bypass.

When appropriate, weight-loss surgery can result in dramatic improvements in weight and health. Within the first two years, you can expect to lose 50 percent to 60 percent of your excess weight. Those people who follow dietary and exercise recommendations tend to keep most of that weight off long term.

However, weight-loss surgery does have side effects. Complications such as pneumonia, blood clots and infection can occur with any type of surgery. Rapid weight loss can result in gallstones or a hernia which may require corrective surgery. Gastric bypass can also cause dumping syndrome, a condition in which stomach contents move too quickly through the small intestine, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and sweating.

Surgery for weight reduction isn’t a miracle procedure. It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll lose all of your excess weight or that you’ll keep it off long term. Weight-loss success after gastric bypass surgery depends on your commitment to making lifelong changes in your eating and exercising habits.