4 Requirements for Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric Surgery is performed to prevent or treat obesity in people. This doesn’t mean that everyone who has gorged on extra cheeseburgers on a weekend need this surgery. It is a serious surgery, which requires many medical reasons before it is performed. It has proven to be pretty successful and everyone applauds the results.

However, before you decide to get bariatric surgery, you must consult your doctor. The following points are some prerequisites to decide if you are eligible for the surgery –

1. Age Eligibility – The minimum age to undergo and be eligible for bariatric surgery is 18 years. The upper age limit is at the discretion of your doctor and can be flexible but, for most cases, it is 60 years. You have to follow the age restrictions thoroughly if you want to be eligible for weight loss surgery in Mexico.

2. Weight Restrictions – Not anyone who is dissatisfied with their exercise regime can get bariatric surgery as a quick fix. There are certain restrictions on how overweight you are before you get permission for the surgery. For men, you have to be at least 100 pounds over what is average and the same for women is 80.

Another point to be taken into account is your previous efforts towards losing weight through the traditional methods of exercise and dieting. Also to be noticed, is the time since which you have tried losing weight. It should be at least 5 years or more. If those methods were unsuccessful, then you shall be eligible for bariatric surgery.

3. Health Issues – Your body has to be ready and healthy enough to survive surgery. Like most surgeries, bariatric surgery has certain previous health concerns that could make you ineligible for it. Conditions like issues in your esophagus and liver disease might give you a negative response from your doctor.

Also, if you have a history of alcohol or have been involved in drug abuse, it could be a black mark. The doctors would also check if you had a bad reaction towards an earlier bariatric procedure and if you have any psychological problems.

4. BMI Or Body Mass Index – Body Mass Index is a measure to correctly ascertain the fat in your body through considerations of your height and weight. It is calculated by dividing your weight by your height squared. The standard unit for your weight is pound and that for your height is inches. There are many categories of BMI –

• 19 to 25 – Healthy
• 25 to 30 – Overweight
• Above 30 – Obese
• Above 40 – Morbidly Obese

Morbidly obese people are instant candidates for bariatric surgery. For obese people, however, other factor like health conditions (blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol problems, sleep apnea and other medical issues) are taken into account.

Before you start exploring surgery, give the traditional methods a fair shot because they are much easier and have fewer hassles. If, however, everything fails and your heath is getting affected because of your weight, you can give bariatric surgery a shot.