Find out if weight loss surgery is right for you

Gaining weight can negatively impact your health. The good news is, even losing as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can provide significant health benefits if you’re obese. 

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is a proven treatment to help you lose significant weight, improve related health complications, increase quality of life and even extend your lifespan. 

“Research shows surgery is much more effective for people with obesity to sustain weight loss long-term than through diet and exercise alone,” says Jila Kaberi-Otarod, MD, a physician at the Geisinger Center for Nutrition and Weight Management. “However, it’s not a quick fix. Bariatric surgery is meant to kick start your weight-loss journey, while building long-term lifestyle changes for sustained success.”

What is weight loss surgery?

Weight loss surgery is an effective surgical procedure to help people achieve long-term weight loss and improve related chronic conditions when traditional weight loss methods aren’t enough.

There are several bariatric surgical options, including gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, that modify the digestive system to support weight loss. Some procedures limit how much you can eat, while others work by reducing the body’s ability to absorb fat and calories from the food you eat or do both. 

Weight loss surgery eligibility

If you’re considering weight loss surgery, you’ll first have a comprehensive evaluation by a team of healthcare providers, including a doctor, dietician, psychologist and surgeon. You’ll need to meet specific medical, lifestyle and psychological guidelines to be eligible for weight loss surgery. 

“Consulting with your healthcare team is essential to determine if bariatric surgery is appropriate for you,” says Dr. Otarod. “They will assess your specific circumstances, body mass index, medical history and overall health to identify the best course of action to optimize outcomes and minimize risks.”

Medical guidelines

In general, bariatric surgery will be considered if you meet one or more of these medical guidelines:

• A BMI of 40 or higher, which indicates extreme obesity
• A BMI of 35 or greater and have a serious weight-related health condition, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea
• Unsuccessful attempts to lose weight through diet and exercise alone
• Between ages 15 and 70, in most cases

Your doctor will also evaluate your medical conditions to determine whether it’s safe for you to have surgery. Some health issues can increase the risks associated with surgery and some — such as heart problems, blood clots and kidney stones — can worsen due to surgery. 

Your medications, whether you smoke and how much alcohol you consume also will be evaluated to determine your weight-loss surgery eligibility.

“Just being overweight isn’t enough of a prerequisite for doctors to recommend the procedure for you,” says Dr. Otarod. “Bariatric surgery is a major, life-changing procedure, and your doctor has to determine that the benefits of the surgery outweigh its risks.”

Lifestyle guidelines

Your healthcare team also will consider your commitment to lifestyle changes. For long-term success, you must be willing to adopt a healthier way of living prior to and after surgery.

Your healthcare team will evaluate your eating habits, exercise regimen, stress level, weight trends and diet attempts, and then offer recommendations. After surgery, you may be required to participate in follow-up plans to monitor nutrition, lifestyle and behavior modifications. 

“Since surgery is just one component of weight loss, your motivation, willingness and ability to follow through with your healthcare providers’ recommendations for diet and exercise will also be assessed before the procedure,” Dr. Otarod says. “Surgery alone doesn’t guarantee success. It’s not a miracle cure, but instead requires candidates to adopt new dietary and exercise habits to support their journey.”

Psychological guidelines

To be considered for bariatric surgery, you’ll go through a screening process to not only determine if you’re medically ready for surgery, but also psychologically ready.

Mental health conditions such as depression, binge-eating disorder, substance abuse and anxiety disorders can contribute to obesity or make it more difficult to commit to lifestyle changes and long-term care.

“Mental health conditions may not prevent you from having the surgery, but the procedure may be postponed until they’re appropriately treated and managed,” says Dr. Otarod.

Benefits and risks of weight-loss surgery

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective treatment in terms of weight loss and enhanced quality of life. Most patients see significant weight loss — losing on average up to 70% of excess weight — within the first year. However, individual results vary, depending on the type of bariatric surgery and a commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

In addition, weight loss surgery has been shown to improve or even resolve health conditions related to being overweight, including heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, and extend your life.  

But like any surgical procedure, bariatric surgery carries certain risks, including:

• Infection
• Excessive bleeding
• Blood clots
• Complications from anesthesia
• Nutritional deficiencies due to decreased absorption in your gastrointestinal system

Fortunately, with advancements in bariatric surgery to use minimally invasive techniques with smaller incisions, patients have less pain, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries. In fact, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says complication rates for these surgeries are lower than common procedures like gallbladder removal, hysterectomy and hip replacement. 

“Obesity is a complex disease that’s very hard to cure without intervention, and has deep risks for your health, quality of life and lifespan,” says Dr. Otarod. “While bariatric surgery comes with risks, in many cases, they are much lower than the risks and complications that come with obesity and its related diseases.”

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