A candidate for bariatric surgery is an adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher.
Candidates for Weight Loss Surgery
Generally, candidates for weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, in Mexico are individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with obesity-related health conditions, who have tried other weight loss methods without success and are committed to long-term lifestyle changes.
According to Dr. Jorge Castillo from Tijuana Bariatric Surgery Weight-loss surgery changes the shape and function of your digestive system. This surgery may help you lose weight and manage medical conditions related to obesity.
Weight-loss surgery is also known as bariatric surgery. There are various surgical procedures, but all of them help you lose weight by limiting how much food you can eat. Some procedures also limit the amount of nutrients you can absorb.
Weight-loss surgery is only one part of an overall treatment plan. Your treatment will also include nutrition guidelines, exercise and mental health care. You’ll need to be willing and able to follow this long-term plan to achieve your weight-loss goals.
If you’re considering weight-loss surgery, you’ll meet with a number of specialists to help you decide if weight-loss surgery is an option for you.
Medical Guidelines
The general medical guidelines for weight-loss surgery are based on body mass index (BMI). BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. Weight-loss surgery might be an option for an adult with a BMI of 40 or higher.
The surgery may also be an option for an adult who meets these three conditions:
- BMI of 35 or higher
- At least one obesity-related medical condition
- At least six months of supervised weight-loss attempts
In some cases, weight-loss surgery may be an option for adolescents. The guidelines include:
- BMI of 40 or higher and any obesity-related medical condition
- BMI of 35 or higher and a severe obesity-related medical condition
Instead of using these BMI numbers as a guideline for surgery, a surgeon may use growth charts for adolescents. These charts show the standard BMI range for each age. The surgeon may recommend the procedure based on how much the adolescent’s BMI is above the standard BMI range.
Depending on the type or severity of an obesity-related illness, some adults or adolescents with lower BMIs may be able to undergo weight-loss surgery.
Dr. Jorge Castillo is a board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery, and advanced minimally invasive surgeries.