Who is eligible for weight loss surgery?

Yale-New Haven Hospital adheres to the National Institutes of Health guidelines to determine if an individual is a candidate for bariatric surgery. To be eligible for weight loss surgery a person should have a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 40 – about 80 pounds overweight for a man and about 100 pounds for a woman – or an individual who suffers from sleep apnea, diabetes, or hypertension and has a BMI of 35 or higher. In addition, patients must meet strict physical and psychological criteria before becoming candidates for the weight loss program.

Morbid obesity is a complex chronic disease. Weight loss surgery should be viewed first and foremost as a method for alleviating this debilitating disease. When compared to other interventions, weight loss surgery has provided the most durable weight loss in patients for whom other therapies have failed.

If your believe you are a candidate for bariatric surgery, you can begin the process by downloading and returning this patient form.

For more information about bariatric surgery or to schedule an appointment, call (203) 764-9060.

BMI calculator

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