Bariatric weight-loss surgery is usually reserved for patients who are considered morbidly obese. "Morbidly obese" is not a pleasant term, but it's one doctors use to classify a certain level of obesity that poses serious health risks. In most cases, surgery is only considered for patients in this category.

Though all bariatric surgeons review and consider patients in slightly different ways, most adhere to an established set of criteria to determine if someone is (or is not) a good candidate for weight loss surgery.

Learn more: Bariatric Surgery Criteria