How to Get Started

Am I Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery?

Patients must meet specific criteria, based on guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health, before they will be considered for an evaluation with our team. Most patients who enter our program have a BMI of 40 or greater. Other factors that suggest surgery may be a good option include:

• You have a BMI over 40. You have serious medical conditions related to weight, such as diabetes, sleep apnea or heart disease. (If these are present, surgery may be considered if your BMI is between 35 and 40.)
• You are between 18 and 65 years old (with some exceptions).
• You have a long history of obesity, and have committed to a minimum of two formal or structured weight loss attempts, each weight loss attempt lasting over three months each.
• You have no current issues with drug or alcohol abuse.
• You have no serious psychiatric illness, such as problems that could impair your ability to follow a program of lifetime health management and follow-up.

If you have checked off most of these boxes and want to proceed, or if you are not sure and want to see if you are a candidate, please call 973-972-7151. You can expect to hear back within 10 – 14 days of your eligibility. If you are not eligible for weight loss surgery, University Hospital also offers non-surgical procedures that may be right for you.

Weight Loss Surgery Information Sessions

To introduce prospective patients to bariatric surgery, University Hospital encourages those interested in weight loss surgery to attend a free seminar. These seminars provide an opportunity for patients to learn more about weight loss surgery, meet the physicians, and meet the bariatric support team who will guide patients on their journey. The seminar also addresses topics like risks and benefits, diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, and insurance coverage, and more.

To register for a seminar, email us at bariatrics@uhnj.org or call 973-972-7151 and select Option 2.