The National Institute for Clinical Excellence advocates the consideration of surgery for the following patients:
The following criteria must also be met:
All appropriate non-surgical surgical measures have been tried but have failed to achieve or maintain adequate, clinically beneficial weight loss for at least 6 months.
The person has been receiving or will receive intensive management in a specialist obesity service.
The person is generally fit for anaesthesia and surgery.
The person commits to the need for long-term follow-up.
Bariatric surgery is also recommended as a first-line option (instead of lifestyle interventions or drug treatment) for adults with a BMI of more than 50 kg/m2 in whom surgical intervention is considered appropriate.