Am I eligible for weight loss surgery?

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has laid down specific guidelines for surgeons considering patients for weight loss surgery. The main criteria are as follows:

• You must be 18 years or older
• You must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or above, or 35 in the presence of significant co-morbid conditions (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, raised cholesterol levels)
• You should have tried all other appropriate and available non-surgical approaches, but have failed to maintain weight loss
• You should be fit for anaesthesia
• You should be prepared to undergo intensive follow-up and monitoring
• You should understand that surgery is not a cure – but a tool to help you keep the disease under control