What type of Weight Loss Surgery should I have? - Obesity Surgery Guide

Only you can make the decision about which surgery to opt for and this is a matter that should be discussed with your surgeon. It is important to go through the options with someone who has expertise and will be able to demonstrate the advantages and risks of each procedure. During a consultation you should be taken through the following factors that may affect whether you are suited to certain surgeries:

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity as some ethnicities are more prone to excessive weight gain
• Medical history of weight gain and loss
• Distribution of fat
• Measurement of waist
• Body type
• Any other health conditions that may be related to obesity
• Any medication that you are taking
• Genetic basis for obesity such as polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Any psychological factors that may affect weight gain

Different surgeries are more suitable for different Body Mass Indexes.

Recommended weight loss procedures

For BMIs of 27 to 29 this is classed as overweight and a non-surgical approach is recommended in order to achieve short term weight loss. This requires the individual to adapt their lifestyle to incorporate more exercise and a healthier diet.

A BMI of 30 to 35 is classified as obese at the lower end of the scale. A long term weight loss regime is recommended and gastric banding may be another alternative if this proves to be unsuccessful.

A BMI of 35-39 is classified as severely obese. Gastric banding may be a solution but this might not provide as effective results for people who have a lower BMI. If you have a weight gain related medical condition then this would not be appropriate. A sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass would be the most advised procedure.

A BMI of 40-45 is classified as morbidly obese and depending on your level of health a gastric band may still be an option. Long term weight loss is required and a sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass would still be recommended.

A BMI of 50-60 is classified as super obese and depending on your state of health a gastric band may be viable as an initial procedure. After this a biliopancreatic diversion or the aforementioned procedures would then be the next step.

A BMI of over 60 is classified as super-super obese which is the most serious case of obesity and probably signifies a poor state of health or that you might have an illness that causes obesity. Due to this the biliopancreatic diversion would be the first recommended step. Further procedures such as a long-limb gastric bypass would be recommended in the long term.