BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is the measure that insurance companies and other institutions use to help determine who qualifies for bariatric surgery, or for a non-surgical procedure like the Orbera balloon. The way BMI is calculated is by taking your height in meters, and dividing it by the square of your weight in kilograms. Even though BMI alone can’t be used to decide if you should have bariatric surgery, it is an important starting point and guideline.
In addition to BMI, we will evaluate your medical history and obesity related health conditions or diseases. Since most people in the US are much more comfortable using feet, inches, and pounds, our BMI calculator will let you input those values instead. The BMI measurements are only applicable to adults. If you are wondering about the BMI surgery qualifications for an adolescent, please contact the office because this is a more complex evaluation.
Note: A BMI of 30 – 34.9 or BMI 35 – 39.9 with no comorbidities qualify for lap band but is usually not covered by insurance.
BMI Range | Official Designation |
---|---|
Under 18.5 | Underweight |
18.5 – 24.9 | Ideal weight |
25 – 29.9 | Overweight |
30 – 34.9 | Obese |
35 – 39.9 | Severely Obese |
40 – 49.9 | Morbidly Obese |
50+ | Super Obese |