850 Enterprise Parkway, Suite 1300
Hampton, VA 23666
(757) 637.7637 Fax (757) 637.7642		 120 Kings Way, Suite 2550
Williamsburg, VA 23185

Qualifying for Weight Loss Surgery

There are many different factors that affect your ability to qualify for bariatric surgery. One of the most important factors is your body mass index (BMI). BMI is used as a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. The formula for determining your BMI is weight in pounds, divided by height in inches, squared.

BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for adults. However, BMI is not a diagnostic tool: to determine if excess weight is a health risk, a healthcare provider would need to perform further assessments. BMI measurements are organized into four categories:

  • Healthy Weight: BMI between 19 and 25
  • Overweight: BMI between 25 and 30
  • Obese: BMI over 30
  • Severely (Morbidly) Obese: BMI of 40 or more

Before surgical solutions are performed, the patient must be able to document they have seriously tried to lose weight multiple times through conventional methods without lasting results for 3-6 months.