Weight Loss Surgery Candidacy

Nearly 30 percent of American adults over the age of 20 are overweight, making obesity a national health crisis in the United States. Sadly, there is no universal cure for obesity, and the weight loss method that works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Several studies have shown that over 95 percent of overweight patients who attempt more conservative weight loss approaches like behavior modification, diets, drugs, and exercise regain any weight they may lose. The frustration of a failed diet can be devastating to a person’s sense of self-worth. Many people who suffer from morbid obesity are now opting for weight loss surgery as a solution. Learn more about who is a candidate for weight loss surgery.

Qualifications for Weight Loss Surgery

While weight loss surgery can improve patients' overall health and extend their lifespan, bariatric surgeries are very serious procedures that should not be taken lightly. In order to be considered for weight loss surgery, certain conditions must be met. All of the following must apply to a patient before he or she is considered a potential candidate for weight loss surgery:

• Morbid obesity: You must be considered morbidly obese, meaning that you have a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or higher. To be considered morbidly obese, men must be more than 100 pounds overweight, while morbidly obese women must be more than 80 pounds overweight. However, any patient who is more than 80 pounds overweight and has serious obesity-related health issues or life-threatening problems will be considered for weight loss surgery.
• Weight loss surgery is a "last-ditch effort": In most cases, bariatric surgery will only be considered for those patients who have completely exhausted other weight loss options. For this reason, obese children and teens are rarely candidates for weight loss surgery.
• Co-morbidities: Potential patients should have serious obesity-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, or life-threatening problems like severe sleep apnea.

In terms of age, some bariatric surgeons accept older patients in their 60s, and some even perform weight loss surgery on teenagers. Other important considerations for doctors choosing patients for weight loss surgery are attitude and motivation. It is crucial that bariatric surgery candidates understand that the surgery is to be used as a weight loss tool, and they will need to adopt extreme lifestyle changes to be successful in their weight loss endeavors. A patient with a high degree of motivation to solve his or her weight issues will be much more likely to meet the challenges of postoperative dietary requirements and behavioral therapy.

Obese Women

In the United States, the prevalence of obese women is almost double that of obese men. Studies have shown that more than one-third of American women are currently obese. In the United States, obese women are more commonly members of a minority and of a lower socio-economic status, and middle-aged women are at the highest risk of becoming obese.

Obese women are at an increased risk for arthritis, sleep apnea, diabetes, and incontinence. Obese women are more likely than non-obese women to die from cancer of the gallbladder, breast, cervix, uterus, and ovaries. Obese women are also more likely to face reproductive problems such as infertility, menstrual irregularities, and ovarian cysts.

Obese women are often the victims of depression. In a society that stresses the beauty of slenderness, women who are obese face substantial social discrimination, even more than obese men. Obese women also face employment and workplace discrimination. In fact, a recent study shows that formerly obese women who underwent weight loss surgery saw a drop in unemployment from 84 to 64 percent. If you are an obese woman and meet the weight loss requirements above, you may be a good candidate for weight loss surgery. Schedule a consultation with a bariatric surgeon in your area to discuss your weight loss options.

Obese Men

Obese men are more likely to die from cancer of the colon, rectum, and prostate than men who maintain a healthy weight. Obese men also face an increased risk of infertility due to lower sperm motility, and are at an increased risk for sleep apnea, gout, stroke, and pulmonary complications. To this end, recent studies have shown that obese men spend an average of $700 more a year on medicine than their non-obese peers.

Studies show that obese men have more trouble processing carbohydrates and less endurance than equally obese women. Because obese men tend to store fat in their upper body, and women store fat in their lower bodies, obese men are more likely than obese women to develop diabetes and heart disease.

Obese Teens

Obese teens have a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other serious and life-threatening conditions. Recent studies have also shown that depression is especially common among obese teens, who are often subjected to shame and social isolation by their peers. Many obese teens also become depressed because the intense media exposure most teenagers are subjected to causes them to have distorted self-images and unrealistic expectations of their bodies.

Many surgeons believe that teenagers lack the maturity necessary to make an informed healthcare decision, such as the decision to undergo complicated weight loss surgery. However, in some life-or-death cases, obese teens have successfully undergone bariatric surgery. While some surgeons are now performing weight loss surgery on obese teens, the long-term safety and effectiveness of these procedures is yet to be determined.

It is unrealistic to expect obese teens to lose weight with the same diet and exercise routines that work for obese men and women. Restrictive diets are most often ineffective with obese teens, partially because teenagers are rebellious by nature and also because so much of teen culture revolves around fast food, soda, and junk food. In fact, teens on restrictive diets usually gain weight long-term. A more effective weight loss approach for obese teens, then, is a change of lifestyle. Obese teens need to be educated on how to make wise food choices while still being able to enjoy the typical teen lifestyle. Teenagers who are obese should also be encouraged to engage in and enjoy physical activities. For obese teens and obese children, it is essential that the entire family works together to implement healthy lifestyle changes. Obese teens should meet with an experienced physician to discuss the best approach to weight loss, whether it involves weight loss surgery, or a stricter diet and exercise regimen.

Obese Children

In the United States, the fastest growing segment of the obese population is our youth. Obesity in children has increased by over 30 percent in the United States over the last 10 years, with a staggering 19 percent of children from 6 to 19 years old now categorized as obese. Obese children face serious health risks: they are at a dramatically higher risk for type 2 diabetes than their peers, and recent studies have shown that inactivity prevents obese children from proper neurological development. Obese children are often victims of aggressive advertising for junk food and soda products. Poor family nutrition and exercise habits can also be blamed for the recent influx of childhood obesity. Because fat cells are so easy to create but so difficult to lose, obese children typically grow up to be obese men and women. For obese children, weight loss surgery is not an option. It is therefore essential that sensible diet and exercise routines are established as early as possible, and that a new, healthier lifestyle is embraced by the entire family.

Find a Weight Loss Surgeon in Your Area

Obesity is a life-threatening and socially debilitating condition that may be remedied with weight loss surgery. If you would like to explore the possibilities of how a bariatric procedure may change your life, use our directory to find a weight loss surgeon in your area.