BMI
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. For the majority of people, BMI is a helpful way to determine how much fat they have! Obesity surgeons do not feel that BMI is always the best way to measure whether someone should have bariatric surgery, but it does serve an important role as a quick and easy way of measuring obesity.
What is a normal Body Mass Index?
For an adult 20 years old or older, the BMI ranges are the following:
Underweight: BMI is less than 18.5
Healthy weight: BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9
Overweight: BMI is between 25 and 29.9
Obesity: BMI is 30 or more
Which factors affect BMI results?
Although many studies confirm the relationship between a high BMI score and potential risks to your health, it is important to keep in mind that BMI measures excess weight and not excess body fat. You may be neither overweight nor obese but still have dangerous levels of excess fat. To assess your overall health, you should regularly measure your body fat percentage.
Body Mass Index vs. body fat percentage: What works best?
Keep in mind that a healthy weight requires a healthy body composition. Designed as a statistical tool for studying populations rather than individuals, BMI should not be the only metric you should rely on to determine your fitness weight.
The American Society of Bariatric Physicians, which publishes studies about weight loss, defines obesity as a body-fat level of 25% and above for men and 30% and above for women. Thus, many people fall into the “obese” category, even though their BMI results do not classify them as obese.
When looking at body fat distribution, it is also important to define a particular type of fat, called visceral fat. Often called the “belly fat” because it is stored in the abdomen, an excess of visceral fat can be particularly dangerous, because it wraps around major organs like the kidneys, the liver, or the pancreas, and may create inflammation. Visceral fat is associated with the development of insulin resistance, the risk of coronary heart disease, and hypertension.
Using smart scales to measure your body fat percentage on a regular basis can provide more information about your body composition—crucial if you want to reach a healthy fitness zone.
BMI and treatment recommendations
Our weight loss surgeons will make treatment recommendations for you based on your medical history, lifestyle, goals, and preferences. There is no “one size fits all” bariatric surgery procedure. Each has its own pros and cons to consider before making a decision. In general, the weight loss balloons like Orbera or Obalon are approved for adults with a BMI between 30 – 40. Surgical procedures like the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and Lap Band are typically done for patients with a BMI over 40 if they have no obesity-related health conditions, or with a BMI over 35 if they have at least one comorbidity (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease).
BMI is only a snapshot of your health. It may be useful to combine BMI with other pieces of information, such as your waist circumference (WC) or body fat percentage, for a better overview of your health.
Having fat around the abdomen may not necessarily cause you to be classified as obese, although you will certainly have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases or other chronic conditions. On the other hand, having fat stored around the hips may not put you at risk for these conditions
BMI is only a snapshot of your health. It may be useful to combine BMI with other pieces of information, such as your waist circumference (WC) or body fat percentage, for a better overview of your health.
Having fat around the abdomen may not necessarily cause you to be classified as obese, although you will certainly have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases or other chronic conditions. On the other hand, having fat stored around the hips may not put you at risk for these conditions
If you are unsure whether your BMI qualifies you for bariatric surgery, please speak to us. We can help you understand the requirements and what options may be most beneficial to you at Tam Anh Obesity Center.
Jan 1, 2021
HUNG M. DO, MD, Ph.D