Guidelines

Before you can undergo weight loss surgery, your surgeon must determine whether or not you are a good candidate. Candidates for weight loss surgery are people who are between the ages of 18 and 72 years old who are more than 100 pounds over their ideal weight or have a body mass index (BMI) between 35 and 40 and have one or more medical conditions associated with obesity, or who have a BMI over 40. Those with a BMI of 30+ may be eligible for self-pay LapBand or Gastric Sleeve.

People who have seriously attempted to lose weight without success are typical candidates for surgery. Each person’s candidacy is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, so depending on your physical health and other factors, you may qualify for surgery even if some of these criteria are not met.