If you are very obese and haven't been able to have lasting weight loss through dieting, medication and lifestyle changes, bariatric surgery may be for you. You must also meet these requirements:
- Feel ready to undergo a change in lifestyle and eating habits
- Be twice your ideal body weight or more, or have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35
- Have the approval of your primary care provider
Do I Qualify for Bariatric Surgery?
Your eligibility for bariatric surgery depends on your level of obesity. Obesity can be measured using your BMI.
BMI is a tool that measures how much body fat you have by comparing your height to your weight. BMI results fall into these ranges:
- 18.5 or less = underweight
- 18.5-24.9 = healthy weight
- 25-29.9 = overweight
- 30-34.9 = Class I obesity
- 35-39.9 = Class II obesity
- 40 and over = Class III obesity
You may qualify for weight-loss surgery at UVA Health if you:
- Have a BMI of 30 or higher, plus at least one obesity-related condition
- Have a BMI of 35 or higher
You can calculate your BMI using this tool from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Considering Bariatric Surgery?
Read more about bariatric surgery at UVA Health.