Living with excess weight can be difficult – not just physically but mentally and emotionally, too. If you have tried traditional methods of weight loss and have not seen the results you need to live a healthy, active lifestyle, gastric bypass surgery may be an option. But you may be wondering how overweight for gastric bypass surgery you need to be.
This is one of the most common types of weight loss surgery but, unfortunately, it is not for everyone. Like any surgical procedure, there are health risks and side effects to consider. In addition, the success of the surgery also has to do with your willingness to make permanent lifestyle changes that align with keeping the weight off. Here are some important guidelines for gastric bypass surgery.
How Overweight for Gastric Bypass Do I Need to Be?
There are a few factors considered when figuring out how overweight for gastric bypass you need to be to qualify for weight loss surgery. While being 100 pounds or more above your ideal body weight is not good, it doesn’t necessarily make you a candidate.
Gastric bypass is a major surgery that makes permanent adjustments to your body. Weight loss surgery can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. But there are some important guidelines to be met.
Guidelines for Gastric Bypass Surgery include:
- Weight loss through diet and exercise has not been effective
- Body mass index of 35 or more and you have weight-related health issues like sleep apnea, high blood pressure or type two diabetes
- Body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
It is important to note that even if you meet these guidelines, you may need to meet other medical criteria to qualify for this kind of surgery. Your doctor will have you undergo an extensive screening process to determine if you are a good candidate for gastric bypass surgery.
Weight Loss Through Diet and Exercise Has Not Been Effective
Before considering gastric bypass surgery, doctors will typically recommend that you try other weight loss methods first, such as dietary changes, exercise, and medication. This is because surgery carries significant risks and complications, and should only be used as a last resort when other options have failed.
It should be said that gastric bypass surgery is not a magic solution to weight loss. It requires significant lifestyle changes and ongoing effort to maintain weight loss and avoid complications. Therefore, doctors want to ensure that individuals are committed to making the necessary lifestyle changes before proceeding with surgery.
However, other weight loss methods do not necessarily need to fail before considering gastric bypass surgery. But it is generally recommended only after other methods have been attempted and proven unsuccessful.
BMI for Gastric Bypass Surgery
New guidelines for an acceptable BMI range have recently been set by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). In the past, a BMI of 35 to 39.9 with health conditions (type 2 diabetes, heart disease, etc.) was the threshold when considering any bariatric surgery. Now, a BMI of 30 to 34.9 is the standard to qualify for bariatric surgery.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on an individual’s height and weight. When you want to calculate your BMI, using the metric system makes the math a lot easier: divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared. If you weigh 100 kilograms (roughly 220 pounds) and are 1.8 meters tall (roughly 70 inches), you would divide 100 by 32.4 (1.8 times 1.8) and get a BMI of 31.
100 / (1.8 x 1.8) = 31.
If you want to use the US standards of measurement, you need to do the same calculation (weight divided by height squared) and then multiply by 703. So it would be 220 divided by 4,900 (70×70), which comes out to .045, and then multiply that by 703 for a BMI of 31.6.
(220 / (70×70)) x 703 = 31.6.
Or you can just go to the BMI calculator at the National Institute of Health.
BMI Over 35 Regardless of Health Problems
Before, those with a BMI over 40 and no comorbidities were candidates for bariatric surgery. Now, that number has dropped to a BMI of 35 or over. While there is no hard and fast BMI number for being too overweight, there are some instances where potential weight loss patients will need to lose a certain amount before qualifying for a procedure.
It’s important to note that while BMI is a useful tool for assessing body weight and overall health, it has limitations and may not be accurate for everyone. Athletes or individuals with a lot of muscle mass may have a higher BMI even though they are not overweight or obese.
For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger was 6-0 and 235 pounds in his prime as a bodybuilder. That puts him around a 30.1 BMI. But I think we can all agree he wouldn’t be considered overweight, or unhealthy. So if you want to know how overweight for bariatric surgery you need to be, it’s best to consult with your primary care physician.
How Much Overweight for Gastric Bypass Do I Need to Be?
This process will evaluate the health benefits of the surgery and if those outweigh any complications or risks that could happen. It will also look at other factors such as psychological and emotional readiness to ensure that you are ready to undergo the surgery. Other things that will be discussed include your nutrition and weight history, your overall medical condition and what medications you may be taking, and your age.
If you’re wondering about insurance coverage for a gastric bypass, insurance companies will have their own guidelines in addition to what we require. This is true of gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and other types of weight-loss surgical procedures.
Our team at WeightWise is dedicated to helping you live life to the fullest with long-term weight loss. We will work with you to determine if you are a good gastric bypass surgery candidate and if you are, we will explain what the process entails. Watch one of our seminars online or contact us today for more information on getting your weight loss journey started!