Surgery Qualifications

Surgical weight loss can change your life, but major lifestyle changes are required in order for the surgery to be effective. The surgery itself involves a certain degree of risk. Because of these factors, the surgical weight loss team at Wesley carefully assesses every patient before each surgery is performed.

The assessment is typically based on your body mass index (BMI) and various health conditions such as diabetes. If you have a BMI of 40 or greater you are a candidate for weight loss surgery.

A person with a BMI at this level falls into the third obese class, the highest obesity level, which means that the person is 100 pounds or more overweight. In many cases with this level of obesity, the person weighs 100 percent more than his or her ideal weight. 

If you have a BMI level between 35 and 40, you are eligible for weight loss surgery if you have other conditions such as diabetes which can hinder your ability to lose weight. Other conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea or degenerative joint disease can also make a person with a 35 to 40 BMI eligible for weight loss surgery. The medical staff at Wesley will assist you in deciding whether weight loss surgery is right for you.