Determining whether or not you are morbidly obese may give you the courage you need to take the first step. Use the tools below to determine if you are morbidly obese and potentially a candidate for weight loss surgery.

Several medically accepted criteria define morbid obesity. You are likely morbidly obese if you:

• Are more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight
• Have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40
• Have a BMI of over 35 and are experiencing severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, related to being severely overweight
• Are unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically supervised dieting

Weight loss surgery may be an option if you:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 60 (patients outside of the age guidelines will be evaluated and considered on an individual basis)
• Have tried other medical and nutritional weight loss programs without long-term success
• Are 100 pounds or more over ideal body weight or between 75 and 100 pounds over ideal body weight and have a high risk disease that is clearly associated with obesity, such as breathing disorders, heart disease, poorly controlled diabetes or high blood pressure, and arthritis problems of the weight-bearing joints
• Have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40. Patients with a slightly lower BMI may be considered for the procedure if they have other obesity-related problems

We do not advise surgical weight loss options if you:

• Are drug or alcohol dependent
• Have a psychosis or other unstable psychiatric disorder

The Body Mass Index is a fairly accurate measurement of the amount of your body that is composed of fat, and is one tool physicians use to determine whether weight loss surgery is suitable for you.

Use our BMI Calculator to determine your Body Mass Index.