Practical information

The BMI (body mass index) helps determine whether you are actually struggling with obesity. BMI is calculated as follows: weight in kg / height in metres².

Obesity can have several causes. Excessive calorie intake plays a role, but in addition, certain genetic factors also have an impact.

The first step in treating obesity is more exercise and dieting. If the desired result still does not follow, surgical treatment may be considered.

There are a number of legal conditions that must be satisfied in order to be reimbursed for weight-loss surgery by the national health insurance fund
:

• You are older than 18
• Your BMI is >40kg/m² or >35kg/m² in combination with diabetes, severe high blood pressure requiring three medications, severe sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) or after the failure of previous slimming surgery.
• You have been on a documented diet for the past year with no lasting success.
• You received a favourable recommendation from a multidisciplinary team (surgeon, endocrinologist or internist and clinical psychologist).