Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual’s ideal body weight. At Mexico Bariatrics we treat obesity.
Gaining weight and becoming obese or morbidly obese has created an epidemic not only in the United States, but also internationally. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 2/3 of the US population is overweight, and nearly 1/3 is obese or morbidly obese.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 to 39. Morbid obesity begins at a body mass index of 40.
It has been shown that the higher the body mass index (BMI), the greater the risk for associated illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease and others. When morbidly obese individuals have one or more of the above diseases, their risk for death increases, and quality of life is severely diminished.
At Mexico Bariatrics, our world-class doctors evaluate patients with a thorough physical exam, which may require blood work and other diagnostic tools. With help from physicians in a variety of specialties, our doctors take into account your medical issues when determining the weight loss plan that’s right for you.
You could be a candidate for surgical weight loss if you meet any of the following criteria:
- You are more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight.
- You have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40.
- You have a BMI of over 35 and are experiencing severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, related to being severely overweight.
- You are unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically-supervised dieting.
At Mexico Bariatrics we treat people from all walks of life. There is no one type of candidate for bariatric surgery. This includes high risk patients, adolescents, and older adults. There are a few criteria that all patients must meet.