Do I Qualify For Weight Loss Surgery?

May 13

If you're like most people who are overweight or obese, you've probably considered weight loss surgery at some point. If you want to qualify for weight loss surgery, you have to be considered morbidly obese. By definition this means that you're obese and more likely to get other health-related issues.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has set some guidelines to measure and treat obesity. These allow you to have surgery in the US if you meet these criteria. If you don't meet the qualifications, don't worry, there are still plenty of options available to help you reach your weight loss goals.

1. What are the minimum qualifications for weight loss surgery?

To be a candidate for weight loss surgery, you must meet a certain set of qualifications. One important criterion is your body mass index (BMI). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has guidelines for determining who is eligible for surgery.

Your BMI must be at least 40, or at least 35 if you have other health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, that are related to your obesity.
Another qualification is whether you have any other health conditions, also called having a comorbidity, that could benefit from surgery. For example, if you have diabetes and your blood sugar is not well-controlled, surgery may improve your health outcomes.
You also must have experienced difficulty with weight loss through diet and exercise alone.

Insurance companies may have their own qualifications that are different from the NIH guidelines.

2. What if I don't meet the minimum qualifications for weight loss surgery?

You've decided that weight loss surgery is right for you, but you're not sure if you meet the minimum qualifications. What do you do? The first step is to contact a bariatric clinic and talk to an expert. Clinics have different qualifications, so it's important to find one that best suits your needs. Some clinics may require that you have a BMI of 35 or higher, while others may be more lenient and accept people with a BMI of 30 or higher. Additionally, some clinics may require that you have tried other methods of weight loss without success, while others may not have any requirements beyond your weight and height.

3. Expectations from your bariatric surgery center

Your bariatric surgeon and their team of healthcare providers will work with you to prepare you for weight loss surgery. Their goal is to be successful after your bariatric procedure. Many clinics use a percentage of excess weight as standard to evaluate if a patient was successful. As a common standard, a person that successfully lost 60% of their excess weight is considered a bariatric success. To be successful, the bariatric clinic expects the patient to make lifestyle changes prior to surgery. The following are lifestyles bariatric clinics have adopted nationwide and international:

Nutrition and Diet Behavior Changes. The dietitian will be responsible to educate you on healthy nutrition, your diet after weight loss surgery, vitamin supplementation required after bariatric surgery, protein supplements needed before and after surgery, adequate eating behavior, and menu planning.
Mobility Efforts and Exercise. A physical therapist or nurse will educate you on adequate mobility efforts based on your current status and will guide you on how to increase mobility efforts and gait as you loose weight after weight loss surgery.
Weight loss Goals. Either the bariatric surgeon and/or your health insurance may require you to lose a certain amount of weight or make the best attempt to prevent weight gain for 3-6 months before surgery. Your dietitian will guide you with a diet plan and lifestyle modifications that will help you accomplish any weight loss requirement.
Psychology Evaluation and Testing. Your bariatric surgeon and health insurance may require you to complete a psychology evaluation. Your psychologist may require follow-up visits before submitting a psychology clearance. He may recommend further evaluation with other specialist such as a psychiatrist, a bing eating disoorder specialist. The goal is for you to have all the tools you need to build coping skills and address mental health concerns before bariatric surgery.
Smoking Behavior. Both your bariatric surgeon and your health insurance will require you to cease smoking before weight loss surgery. The bariatric surgery clinic will offer different community programs and other tools proven to help quit smoking.
Compliance with Medical Treatments. You'll be expected to be compliant with medical treatments previously ordered by your healthcare provider or another specialist.

These pre-surgery expectations and compliance to lifestyle modifications are intended to help you achieve the best possible outcomes after bariatric surgery. One way to prove your team is for you to put in an intense effort from the start. When you do, it will spark your motivation and confidence in your abilities through your weight loss journey.

3. Can I still get weight loss surgery if I don't meet the qualifications?

Possible factors that disqualify you from weight loss surgery:

Medically not ready. Non-compliant with current medical treatments, did not meet minimum BMI requirements and/or BMI with a comorbidity.
Psychologically not ready. The psychologist was unable to complete psychological clearance or denial of further psychology consults.
Uncompliant with lifestyle changes. Unable to loose weight as required by bariatric surgeon and/or insurance payor, unable to modify eating behaviors, change nutrition and food choices before surgery, non-compliant with changes in mobility behaviors.
Weight gain in the pre-op process.

While the qualifications for weight loss surgery are in place to ensure that those who undergo the procedure have the best chance of success, there are some cases where people who don't meet the minimum guidelines may still be a good candidate for surgery.

4. How can I improve my chances of qualifying for weight loss surgery?

There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of qualifying for weight loss surgery. First, make sure you meet the minimum guidelines. This includes being overweight or obese, having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35, and having a chronic health condition that's associated with obesity. You'll also need to have tried other methods of weight loss, such as diet and exercise, without success. If you can demonstrate that you're committed to weight loss and have made a serious effort to improve your health, that will reflect positively on your application. Finally, get in touch with an experienced weight loss surgery agency for expert advice and support.

5. Is weight loss surgery right for me?

You may be wondering if you meet the minimum qualifications. Let's take a look. In order to be considered for surgery, you must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above, or a BMI of 35-39.9 with at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or obstructive sleep apnea. Additionally, you must be willing to make significant changes to your diet and exercise habits and be motivated to maintain your weight loss after surgery. If you meet these qualifications, then surgery may be right for you.

If you are overweight or obese and are considering weight loss surgery, it's important to know the qualifications that are required to be eligible for surgery. While not everyone meets the minimum qualifications, there may be other options available to you. If you're unsure if weight loss surgery is right for you, our experts are here to help.

Laura Hernandez