Are You A Candidate For Weight-Loss Surgery?
In recent years, weight-loss surgery has emerged as an incredibly effective tool in helping patients manage obesity and make healthy lifestyle choices. However, weight-loss surgery is not for everyone, so you should understand the key factors used to determine if you are a good candidate for weight-loss surgery, like the LAP-BAND System.
While there are several medical factors that can determine whether or not you are eligible for weight-loss surgery; if you qualify, your commitment to the long-term weight-loss process will greatly impact the results. You may want to consider some of these issues on your own, but meeting with a weight-loss surgeon will help you gain an understanding of both the procedure and the lifestyle changes required afterwards.
Body mass index
The body mass index (BMI) requirements for weight-loss surgery were originally set by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and have been in place since the 1990s. As a result, weight-loss surgeons will look for patients with a BMI of at least 40 or a body weight at least 100 pounds over ideal weight. Patients with a BMI between 35 and 39 may also be considered for weight-loss surgery if suffering from at least one health condition related to obesity, including, but not limited to, diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, depression and high cholesterol. BMI is the most commonly used method of determining an individual's level of obesity. By using theBMI calculator provided by NewHope Bariatrics, you can see where you fall amongst the following BMI classifications:
? Healthy Body Weight - BMI from 18.5 to 24.9
? Overweight - BMI from 25.0 to 29.9
? Obese - BMI from 30 to 34.9
? Severely Obese - BMI from 35 to 39.9
? Morbidly Obese - BMI 40 and above
Failure of traditional weight-loss methods
Before agreeing to operate, weight-loss surgeons also need to determine if their patients have attempted to lose weight on their own. In most cases, surgeons will require that patients have tried traditional diet and exercise regimens prior to considering weight-loss surgery and documented the results. And in some cases weight-loss surgery patients have participated in medically supervised weight-loss programs. Weight-loss surgeons use this information to determine if their patients are committed to weight loss and lifestyle changes.Documentation of weight-loss efforts is also important when approaching the funding of weight-loss surgery. Like weight-loss surgeons, insurance providers typically require prospective patients to provide proof of repeated efforts to lose weight without surgical intervention.
Overall Health and Lifestyle
While there are many health conditions that may increase the urgency of weight-loss surgery, weight-loss surgeons will require all patients to meet certain lifestyle requirements as part of the program. To ensure that patients undergoing weight-loss surgery are able to experience long-term success and improve their overall health, surgeons will look for patients that avoid smoking, drinking and the abuse of drugs. If considering weight-loss surgery, it is important to eliminate these habits prior to beginning the process. After surgery, patients will be expected to avoid smoking and illicit drug use, while alcohol consumption should occur on a limited basis.
Commitment
Lastly, it is very important that all prospective weight-loss surgery patients be committed to permanent lifestyle changes. After ensuring that patients understand both the risks and rewards inherent in weight-loss surgery, some insurance providers will require psychological evaluations. As weight-loss surgery is not a magic bullet to erase obesity, it is important for all patients to understand the role that better eating habits and exercise play in the recovery process. Additionally, most weight-loss surgery procedures will require patients to meet regularly with doctors, attend support groups or meet with medical specialists to help support specific areas of follow-up care. The decision to have weight-loss surgery should not be taken lightly, and hence, doctors and insurance providers will insist that any patient undergoing the procedure is fully committed to each part of the lifelong process.
If you are trying to determine if you are a candidate for weight-loss surgery, you should consider your BMI and your past experiences with traditional weight-loss methods. If you feel you meet the criteria outlined here, you should then carefully consider both the potential benefits and responsibilities of weight-loss surgery. Though you may be unsure if weight-loss surgery is right for you, a consultation with a weight-loss surgeon will provide extensive insight into your condition and information about life after the procedure. In the end, if you are a good candidate for the procedure and feel prepared for the necessary lifestyle changes, weight-loss surgery can be the first important step towards a longer and healthier life.
Carole S. Guinane, a Chief Clinical Officer writes articles about obesity and weight loss for New Hope Today.
Related Articles:
Maximum Weight Loss By Calorie Shifting
The biggest reason why most people can't lose weight is because their bodies have adapted to a certain amount of calories, and when this process happens it causes your metabolism to slow down significantly and weight loss is almost impossible This is the problem with most of the available weight loss programs
Walking to Lose Weight - Does it Actually Work?
There are different kinds of exercises in which a person can engage in if he wants to lose some weight Joining a gym and take lessons in weight lifting and toning the muscles are a popular choice for those who wants to lessen the fat in their body
Details on Rapid Weight Loss - Read Before You Take Action
Rapid weight loss is often a plan people start because they feel if they do not see fast results from their efforts they will give up, but the way we live our lives these days is also a problem when losing weight. One of the most important aspects of losing weight is attitude and changing bad habits and replacing them with new but good ones, something that requires a certain consistency. The factors that dictate the speed at which a person sheds pounds is quite complex; for example:
Go for Scientific Weight Loss
Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a very good idea. Fat, although systematically proven useful to the human body, is not only a waste of food.
Exercise Your Swing By A Ping Golf Club
Have you ever hit a good hit twenty yards threatening line? Did you had to endure heckling from playing partners who say, That's right where you planned.? Unfortunately, most golfers have to respond yes to both questions, because to get the ball to each time finish at the designed destination is more easy said than done. There is not less difficult way to Improve the quality of the shots you do than receiving a great new club as a PING golf club. The PING golf club is something that any golfer could mix to their arsenal & be greatful for when it is game time.
Play Better Golf Through Exercise
Play better golf. Isn't that what every golfer thinks about 24/7? Golf can be the most humbling game you will ever play.
Top 7 Weight Loss Exercises Myths
A lot of myths about weight loss exercises go around. Here are the top 7 of most common misconceptions.
Weight Loss - Its in Your Head
When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged is mostly in your mind. "Should I eat the corn muffin with butter or would it be better for me to have margarine or better yet, have jelly? What am I doing eating this muffin anyway? It's so caloric and filled with saturated fat.
Live Longer Lose Weight Mediterranean Diet
It is common knowledge that people who live around the Mediterranean region tend to live longer and have less overweight related diseases than people in the developed countries except perhaps, Japan.
Body Mass Index Is Not The Only Focus of Your Weight Loss Plan. Think About The Stress in Your Mind
The first of January will bring a new group of folks out to the local gym and the fitness equipment store. Many of us have been a part of this crowd once or twice in our lifetimes.
Genetics And Weight Loss
?I would be able to lose weight if it wasn?t for my genetics?
Fitness And Exercise Equipment Financing
Fitness and exercise equipment is inevitable in a gym or fitness center There are various types of equipment like treadmill, exercise bike etc which are generally expensive
Increase Your Level Of Physical Fitness And Gain Extra Confidence While Having Fun.
Have you ever thought about increasing your fitness through martial arts? More and more people are becoming health conscious and trying to get fit by going to the gym, joining walking or jogging groups and joining other groups offering a health and fitness regime, but it does not take long before the boredom sets in and going to classes become a chore.
Lose Weight in a Week-By Eating More
Definitely starving is not the answer to lose weight Skipping meals may lead to additional weight, don't you know that
Low Carb Diet - Weight Loss Benefits
A low carb diet, as the name implies, is a diet that is low in carbohydrates (bread, rice, sugar, especially the refined variety) and high (or rather adequate) in fats and proteins (meat, eggs, cheese, butter, nuts, etc.). A number of variations of the diet exist (most well known, Dr. Atkins Diet), but the one thing that is common to all is the drastic cutback on the intake of carbohydrates in the diet plan.
