How to Qualify for LapBand

Dieting may be an American obsession. Yet according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control the nation is fatter than ever, with 25.6% of its citizens classified as obese. Obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index of 30 or more. Reflecting this risky health trend, an increasing number of people are seeking to lose weight through surgical methods. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery reports that the number of weight loss surgeries increased from about 16,000 in 1992 to about 103,000 in 2003. The Lap-Band procedure works by surgically reducing the amount of food one can eat, which naturally lowers the appetite and calorie consumption.

Things You'll Need

• Scale
• Yardstick
• Calculator

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Weigh yourself. If you weigh more than twice your ideal weight or are 100 pounds overweight, you will be considered for Lap-Band surgery.

• 2

  Calculate your Body Mass Index. Manually determine your BMI by multiplying weight in pounds times 703. Divide the result by your height in inches squared. For instance if a woman is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds, she multiplies 240 times 703 to arrive at the number 168,720. Her height in inches is 66. She finds the square of 66 by multiplying 66 times 66, which is 4.356, and lastly divides 168,720 by 4,356. Her BMI is 38.74. Under current guidelines, if a person's BMI is more than 40, or more than 35 with obesity-related health concerns, he or she likely qualifies for Lap-Band surgery.

• 3

  Consider your age and how long you have been overweight. Lap-Band candidates must be between 18 and 60 years old with a 5-year history of obesity. While the FDA regards Lap-Band as one of the safest weight loss surgeries, it is an invasive procedure with potential risks. Therefore, a person must have tried other non-invasive methods to lose weight such as calorie restriction and aerobic exercise before considering Lap-Band.

• 4

  Reflect on the reasons you are overweight. If you have an illness that significantly contributes to your weight, Lap-Band will not be of value and may put you at risk.

• 5

  Analyze your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Lap-Band candidates must abstain from alcohol or limit consumption to an occasional drink. Additionally, a successful candidate must make changes to his or her diet. Nutrition is of prime importance following surgery. Foods must be low calorie with high nutritional density. Some foods are problematic after the Lap-Band procedure including carbonated beverages like soda, sparkling water, beer or champagne, and highly fibrous foods including corn, popcorn, pineapple, celery and sweet potatoes.