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Candidates For Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric
bypass surgery is recommended for those persons who are 90 pounds or more
overweight and have or are likely to have medical complications that will
be helped, and in many instances, cured by substantial weight loss. While
weight loss surgery is not for everyone, there are a large number of
patients for whom losing a lot of weight is imperative, including those
suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, heart trouble, shortness of
breath, arthritis and orthopedic (bone) problems with their legs, hips or
back. Weight loss surgery actually fails in those persons who drink large
quantities of regular soft drinks, consume sweets, ice cream, chips and
fatty fried foods. If you are one of these people and feel you cannot
switch to diet drinks and cut out sweets and fried foods then gastric
bypass surgery is not for you.
Determining Morbid
Obesity
Physicians and healthcare professionals commonly use the 'Body Mass Index'
(BMI) as a way of helping to determine obesity. BMI is a number calculated
by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by his or her height in square
meters. Although a patient's BMI cannot be used to determine actual
percentage of body fat or overall health condition, it is a means of
categorizing weight in terms of nationally recognized standards. These
standards — derived from years of research and data — are based on the
probability of whether or not a person will be healthy or unhealthy as
they age.
A Body Mass Index (BMI)
greater than 40 is by definition morbid obesity. Lesser BMI may be morbid
if associated by serious co-morbidities.
Body Mass Index standards are:
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BMI 18.5 to 24.9 Healthy
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BMI 25 to 29.9 Overweight
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BMI 30 to 39.9 Obese
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BMI 40 to 49.9 Morbidly Obese
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BMI
50 or higher Super Obese
Answering the question "Am I Morbidly Obese?" may give you the courage you
need to take the first step towards weight loss surgery. Below, we've
included a BMI Calculator and an Ideal Body Weight Chart you can use to
determine if you are morbidly obese. (However, BMI is only one of many
factors we consider when determining
whether or not a patient is a good candidate for weight loss surgery.) You
may be a good candidate for surgery if:
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