Persons who are extremely obese may want to consider weight loss surgery when traditional attempts at dieting and weight loss programs have failed. Weight loss surgery candidates are at least 100 pounds overweight. This translates to a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or over. Sometimes, patients with a BMI of 35 and over are considered for surgery if they have medical problems that are caused by or associated with obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
