Health Screening Before Weight-loss Surgery

All patients considering bariatric surgery with the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program must meet specific criteria before they can be considered for a screening evaluation.

The criteria are based on universal standards established by the National Institutes of Health and include:

• Body weight greater than 100 pounds or 45 kg above ideal weight.
• Body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 or BMI greater than 35 with medical complications related to obesity, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and gallbladder disease.
• A documented history of weight management and weight loss attempts with supervised diets and exercise programs.
• No indication of active alcoholism, active drug addiction or major psychiatric disorder.

Surgeons at the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program evaluate other criteria, such as a your age and general health, to determine if bariatric surgery is appropriate.

Get more information about weight-loss surgery at Penn

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you by attending a free weight-loss information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn at this free session, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Register for this free weight-loss information session.