The importance of your body mass index

Your body mass index (BMI) is the ratio of your weight to your height and can help indicate your risk of obesity. BMI is not a perfect calculation but most insurance companies use this number to help determine if you will be approved for surgery.

BMI and candidacy

You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if you have a BMI greater than or equal to 35 with one or more other illnesses associated with metabolic syndrome, such as:
 

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Sleep apnea

• High cholesterol

• Infertility

If you have a BMI greater than or equal to 40, you may be considered a candidate regardless of the presence of any other medical condition.

Health classification table

Using the table below, you can see your health classification and potential health risk by using your height and weight. Typically, if a person falls within the "Obese" or "Morbidly Obese" sections, their eligibility for surgery is greater than a person that simply falls in the "Overweight" category.