More than 250,000 weight-loss procedures are performed in the United States each year.<br />Bariatric surgery can be a life saving tool to help super- or morbidly obese people lose weight.<br />Now, a new study reveals losing even a little weight before weight loss surgery can reduce the risk of fatal complications from the procedure.<br />Body mass index is a common measure of obesity, which affects more than 40% of American adults.<br />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.<br />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%.
