More than 250,000 weight-loss procedures are performed in the United States each year.
Bariatric surgery can be a life saving tool to help super- or morbidly obese people lose weight.
Now, a new study reveals losing even a little weight before weight loss surgery can reduce the risk of fatal complications from the procedure.
Body mass index is a common measure of obesity, which affects more than 40% of American adults.
During the first month after surgery, people with BMIs of 40 and higher were up to five times more likely to die than those with lower BMIs.
According to UPI, patients who were able to reduce their body weight by 10% or more before the operation reduced their risk of death by more than 40%.