Effect of diabetes and hypertension on obesity-related mortality

Because weight-loss surgery successfully cures hypertension or diabetes in most obese patients, it should be considered for obese patients having these diseases. Based on the greatly elevated mortality associated with diabetes, surgery may be justified for obese diabetic patients with BMIs lower than the currently accepted criteria. In contrast, for the morbidly obese without diabetes or hypertension, mortality is only slightly increased from obesity alone. In terms of mortality, the benefits of weight reduction resulting from weight-loss surgery are less clear if there is no coexistent diabetes or hypertension.