If you're obese and have tried every diet imaginable, sticking to it faithfully, and still can't lose the excess poundage, you might be a candidate for weight-loss surgery.

But bariatric surgeons don't choose just anyone. To qualify, a prospective patient must satisfy certain criteria. First, a person's body mass index, or BMI, must be at least 40 - or he or she must weigh at least 100 pounds more than his or her ideal weight.

Those with a BMI of 40 or more are considered morbidly obese. If you have a body mass index of 35-39, you're classified as severely obese. A doctor will still perform weight-loss surgery on you, but only if you have at least one serious medical condition accompanying your weight problem. These conditions include diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, depression and high cholesterol.

Second, you need to be a person who makes healthy lifestyle choices. These include not smoking, not drinking to excess, and avoiding drug abuse. People who are used to making good lifestyle decisions have the best chances for success with weight-loss surgery.

Third, you as a prospective patient must demonstrate commitment and willpower in your life. You must be able to adhere to a diet no matter what, and stick to an exercise regimen come what may. These accompaniments to weight-loss surgery are permanent lifestyle changes that must be adopted as lifelong habits if the surgery is to be successful.

Only with these qualifications will a bariatric surgeon accept a patient for weight-loss surgery.

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