Below are the obesity categories adopted in 1998 by the National Institute of Health (NIH)².

BMI	Classification2	Level of Health Risk
18.5-24.9	Normal weight	Minimal/low
25-29.9	Overweight	Increased
30-34.9	Obese	High
35-39.9	Severely Obese	Very High
40 and up	Morbidly Obese	Extremely High

Morbid obesity greatly increases the chance of developing health conditions that can result in significant physical, mental, and social disabilities. It can also lead to premature death.

Morbidly obese individuals with a BMI of 40+ or severely obese individuals with a BMI between 35 and 40 with weight-related health problems may be candidates for weight loss surgery.

Patients who have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30-35 who have Type II diabetes are candidates under a special study protocol. If you are interested, please call our office for details.