Good news came to bariatric surgery candidates as of 2022 when new guidelines for bariatric surgery were updated. These new guidelines, which recommend who is a candidate for bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, have improved access to more people who can benefit from this procedure.

The guidelines were released as a joint partnership between ASMBS (The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) and IFSO (International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders). These organizations are the most trusted sources from which the bariatric community base their patient selection process from.

Who is a candidate for bariatric surgery?

The new guidelines broadens the BMI (body mass index) range that can determine if someone is a candidate for surgery. Prior to the new guidelines, a person was considered a candidate for surgery if they had a BMI of 40 or greater, without the need for any obesity-related health conditions. As of 2022, a person with a BMI of 35 or higher, regardless of any other known health conditions related to obesity, is a candidate for bariatric surgery.

Similarly, prior to the new guidelines, a person who had obesity-related health conditions with a BMI between 35 to 39.9 was a candidate, however the new guidelines permit a person with a BMI as low as 30 with obesity-related health conditions to be eligible for bariatric surgery.

Note: It is important to note that our surgeon must make a final assessment to determine your candidacy, or eligibility, for surgery. This would depend on several factors including, but not limited to, your health status, surgical history, and psychological state.

Am I eligible for bariatric surgery?

Based on these new guidelines, you would be eligible for bariatric surgery is you fit on of the following criteria:

Criteria 1: You have a BMI of 35 or higher.

Criteria 2: You have a BMI of 30 or more with an obesity-related health condition, such as: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis (joint pain), high cholesterol, triglycerides, or heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (heartburn).

If you are unsure as to what your BMI is, you can complete our online quiz for an immediate response. https://weightlosssurgery.ca/do-i-qualify

Note: It is important to note that our surgeon must make a final assessment to determine your candidacy, or eligibility, for surgery. This would depend on several factors including, but not limited to, your health status, surgical history, and psychological state.

What if I don’t fit the criteria for bariatric surgery? What are my options?

If you do not fit the eligibility criteria for bariatric surgery mentioned above, there are further elements to consider.

Element 1: If you have a BMI between 27-29.9, our surgeon can still assess your file to determine if perhaps you do qualify for surgery based on your health condition by running some medical tests. If our surgeon assesses that bariatric surgery is not an option, you may be offered the option for weight loss medications which research has been showing to be quite promising.

Element 2: If you are of Asian descent, you may still be eligible for bariatric surgery if you have a BMI of 27.5 or higher. Research has shown that the Asian population does not fit into the standard BMI calculations that work for other ethnic groups. This means that the Asian population can experience more health-related conditions at a lower BMI than other ethnic populations. Therefore, it is typically recommended for the Asian population to have a lower BMI than the rest of the population, which means they are eligible for bariatric surgery at a lower BMI than others.

Are there any age limits to having bariatric surgery?

At Weight Loss Surgery Inc. we are restricted to certain age limits due to recommendations imposed by our private accredited hospital. Our hospital does not accept patients below the age of 14. Patients aged 70 or more must be assessed individually. In some cases, we have operated on patients aged between 70 and 75 who were medically fit for surgery and who had an adequate support network.

Note: It is important to note that our surgeon must make a final assessment to determine your candidacy, or eligibility, for surgery. This would depend on several factors including, but not limited to, your health status, surgical history, and psychological state.