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What is BMI and how does it pertain to weight loss surgery?

April 26, 2017BMI pertain surgery

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What is BMI and how does it pertain to weight loss surgery?

1 Answer

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10 Posted

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a standardization of weight as it relates to how tall a person is. As we all know, a 300 lb person that is 5’4″ is much different than some one that is 6’0″. BMI allows us to compare different people on a standard curve. Morbid obesity was defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991 as a BMI greater than 40 (over 100 lbs over ideal body weight) or BMI greater than 35 with severe medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. Based on this definition, insurances have developed guidelines that they use to cover weight loss surgery. It does vary somewhat from insurance company to insurance company but this is generally the criteria that you will need to meet. Please use our BMI calculator to see if you meet these levels.