How Is
Obesity Measured Before Weight Loss Surgery
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Before potential weight loss surgery patients
are approved for the surgery, they must qualify. The
qualifications generally state that a person should weigh
100 pounds over their ideal body weight or should have a
body mass index of 40 or more. Those that are 80 pounds
overweight are often considered for the surgery if they have
health related issues that are linked to obesity.
It is important for a doctor to assess each
potential surgery patient individually because measuring
obesity can be subjective. For example, when calculating the
ideal weight or the body mass index, these often do not take
into consideration muscle mass. Because muscle weighs more
than fat, a very muscular person may rate high on the body
mass index chart, but not be overweight. In addition,
patients that are suffering from illnesses such as type 2
diabetes, hypertension or high blood pressure or sleep apnea
and are overweight can be considered as a good candidate for
the surgery. |
The body mass index is often used to calculate
the risks of obesity. This is the most common form of body
weight and obesity measurement. The body mass indeed is the body
weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in
meters. This can also be measured using pounds and inches. The
body mass index does not actually measure body fat, but is
generally accepted as an acceptable correlation to the degree of
obesity. The index is used when determining obesity, but is not
used as a measurement alone.
In 1998, the National Institute of Health adopted
standards to help health care professionals measure obesity. These
standards help doctors and professionals from all over the United
States accurately measure obesity. The ideal body mass index rating
for most people is considered 19 to 25. These are usually people of
average height and weight. A person who is much taller can weight
more, but not be overweight. That is why it is important for health
care professionals to have a standard to go by when determining
whether or not a person should or should not have weight loss surgery.
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In order to qualify for weight loss surgery,
a patient should be considered morbidly obese. Sometimes
severely obese people are considered for this surgery if
they present health issues. A patient with a body mass index
of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. Those with a body
mass index of 30 to 34.9 are considered obese. A severely
obese patient is one with a body mass index of 35 to 39.9. A
morbidly obese patient will have a body mass index of 40 and
over.
Another common measurement of obesity is the
waist circumference test. This measurement is often used in
conjunction with other measurements and methods. Along with
the body mass index chart, this is usually an accurate
measurement of obesity. A man with a waist greater than 40
and a woman with a waist great than 35 show an increase risk
for obesity. Doctors often use combined methods to measure
obesity. |
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