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Kentucky Bariatric Institute + BariNation Collaboration. Read More.

Am I a Candidate?

Is Bariatric Surgery for me?

Bariatric surgery is not suitable for all people who are obese. Everyone will agree that people should try appropriate dieting, exercise, and other ways to lose weight before considering surgery.  Weight Loss Surgery has been most successful for people who meet the criteria listed below.

How do I know if I am a candidate for surgery?

At Kentucky Bariatric Institute, weight loss surgery is done only if a patient meets the following criteria:

  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or more. If you have other high-risk conditions, a BMI of 30 may qualify. BMI is a simple way to calculate the amount of fat on your body. 
  • The person has already tried non-surgical weight loss treatments such as diet, exercise, and behavioral changes.
  • The person has no medical or hormonal reason for the obesity. These conditions are rare but require treatment of the underlying medical problem.
  • The person must be fully informed about the surgery and have realistic expectations of weight loss and possible complications.
  • The person must demonstrate a willingness to accept the risks of surgery.
  • The person must demonstrate a willingness to make dramatic lifelong changes in lifestyle, dietary habits, and exercise, and also to commit to medical follow-up.

Am I A Candidate?

Give us a call at 502.570.3727 or register now for our FREE live seminar and take the first step in your weight loss journey.

Learn More

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Rather than relying only on the bathroom scale to tell you if you’re overweight, experts say you should also know your body mass index (BMI). BMI takes into account not just your weight, but also your height to indicate body fat.

Although your BMI does not actually “measure” your percentage of body fat, it is a useful tool to estimate a healthy body weight based on your height. The goal for most people is a BMI that’s over 18 and under 25.

Definition Of Severe Obesity

There are several medically accepted criteria for defining severe obesity: more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight, or a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40, or a BMI of more than 35 and severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, related to being severely overweight, or inability to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically supervised dieting.

Health Effects of Severe Obesity

Clinically severe obesity is a serious medical condition that demands a multidisciplinary approach for treatment. Severe obesity is often accompanied by high blood pressure, diabetes, degenerative arthritis, increased cancer risk and heart attacks. The death rate of severely obese people in every age group is about ten times higher than those of normal weight. Quality of life is threatened because severely obese people cannot move about easily or comfortably, and self-esteem and self- confidence are often affected.

Bariatric Surgery For Weight Reduction

In 1991 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) assembled physicians, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals and made recommendations regarding bariatric treatment. “Bariatric” means obesity. From this gathering, the NIH now recommends that weight reduction should always be recommended for patients with severe obesity. If nutrition therapy, exercise, and behavior modification cannot successfully reduce weight, bariatric surgical procedures such as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and adjustable gastric banding are options. For many years these procedures required an incision from the breast to the groin, the open method, which comes with certain risks.

Since then, laparascopic and robotic methods, which require several one-inch incisions in the abdomen, have been approved as an alternative method to perform these surgical procedures. It is important for anyone considering bariatric surgery to understand the many medical, psychological, behavioral and financial aspects. For your recovery to be successful, you will need to make some lifelong changes. Some of the changes may seem difficult, but the result can be permanent weight reduction and overall improved health.

Register For Our FREE Educational Seminar!

If you feel like you are ready to begin your weight loss journey, give us a call at 502.570.3727 or register now for our free online seminar and take the first step in your weight loss journey.

*This form is not intended for submission of personal medical information. Results may vary. Specific results are not guaranteed and are a result of the individual customized weight loss plan for each patient, along with exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes.

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