Obesity/Overweight

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a way to characterize your heighta and weight stand with regard to normal values, and can be used to determine whether you are underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.

A BMI at or above 25 is a risk factor for obesity related conditions:

  • arthritis
  • back pain
  • cardiorespiratory disease
  • diabetes, type II
  • dyslipidemia (abnormal fats in bloodstream, leading to clogged arteries)
  • sleep apnea (trouble breathing while sleeping)
  • some types of cancer

and increased risks for any potential surgical intervention:

  • difficulties with anesthesia/intubation (putting in the breathing tube)/ventilation (mechanical breathing)
  • increased risk of pressure sores and muscle damage
  • higher risk of infections, wound problems, hardware (if implanted) failure, and other complications

BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5 Normal weight = 18.5–24.9 Overweight = 25–29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater A BMI below 18 increases your risk for osteoporosis. The BMI can be calculated via this link.

On certain occasions, when all non-surgical methods of weight loss have been tried without success, surgical consultations are needed, such as lap band surgery.