Many of us are a little overweight, which can usually be solved with a change in diet and exercise. However, those who are considered obese have a much more difficult time losing weight. To be considered obese, you must have a BMI of 30 or higher. You can calculate your BMI by entering your height and weight into our BMI calculator. Patients whose BMI is over 35 are considered severely obese, and those who are over a BMI of 40 are morbidly obese, which generally translates to about 100 pounds over the ideal weight for your height. Once a person reaches severe obesity, it is extremely difficult to lose weight and keep it off. Typically, only about 5% of severely obese individuals are able to maintain significant weight loss in the long term. Weight loss surgery is recognized by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) as the only effective form of long-term weight loss for severely or morbidly obese patients. If you feel one of these procedures might be right for you, please contact us today to schedule a consultation.