Obesity is incredibly detrimental to overall health, putting you at a heightened risk for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer and many other serious conditions. If you’ve struggled with obesity, and other weight loss options have not been successful, bariatric surgery may be right for you.
Learn whether you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery from our team of board-certified surgeons below.
Am I a Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?
Undergoing bariatric surgery is serious decision, requiring long-term commitment from the patient. At Foothills Weight Loss Specialists in Knoxville, we believe this procedure must serve as a method to alleviate debilitating, chronic disease when other non-surgical options and lifestyle changes have been ineffective.
Candidacy for bariatric surgery is determined by body mass index and obesity-related medical conditions. Patients must be considered morbidly obese to qualify for bariatric surgery.
“One of the first determinants for bariatric surgery eligibility is weight. If you are morbidly obese, meaning you have a body mass index greater than 40, or a BMI of 35 or more and you suffer from debilitating co-morbidities, you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery,” says Dr. Mark Colquitt of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists. “We thoroughly evaluate each patient’s candidacy for surgery individually based on a number of important factors.”
How is Morbid Obesity Defined?
A patient is considered morbidly obese if they meet the following criteria:
• Body Mass Index (BMI) over 35
• Are affected by serious, obesity-related medical conditions (co-morbidities) such as high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, severe bone and joint conditions and sleep apnea
• Are unable to reach a sustained, healthy body weight after exhausted medically supervised dieting and other non-surgical approaches
• Are willing to commit to a lifetime of dietary and behavioral changes
“Morbid obesity affects millions of Americans each year, posing significant harm to their health,” says Dr. Colquitt. “Obesity is considered morbid once it progresses to the point of increasing the risk of obesity-related conditions, diseases and even death.”
Next Steps
As a preliminary measure to an in-depth health evaluation and consultation with our surgeons, you may determine your approximate body mass index here. If you would like to learn more about whether you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery, we urge you to attend a free informational seminar either online or in person. You may register online for a seminar at this link, or call our office at 865-985-3413.
Our Foothills Weight Loss Specialists staff and surgeons will evaluate your eligibility and discuss which treatment may work best for you.