Extreme obesity plagues more than a million teens and young adults, experts estimate. What's a parent to do?
Bariatric surgery is a possibility if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or are about 100 pounds overweight as a man or 80 pounds overweight as a woman. You are also a candidate if you have a BMI of 35 to 40 and have a serious health condition related to your obesity, according to the Weight-control Information Network. These conditions include type 2 diabetes, heart disease or severe sleep apnea.