America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new device for people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35. Those with a BMI of 30 and above must also have an accompanying health problem such as diabetes. The gastric band device manufactured by Allergan was originally allowed only for people with […]
Recent research has found that it’s not what doctor’s tell their patients about weight loss and dieting, but how the say it. It seems that if doctors start cajoling or forcing their patients to lose weight, they are more likely to ignore what they are told. However if doctors take their patients’ views into account […]
Losing weight for many people is very hard. It’s probably worse when you have someone who supposedly loves you threatening to call the wedding off if you don’t lose weight. Celebrity Jessica Simpson is in just this position. Her fiancé Eric Johnson has apparently told her that if she doesn’t shed the pounds, the wedding […]
Sixteen morbidly obese New Zealanders living in Canterbury are being offered weight loss surgery. But they will have to travel to Christchurch. The funding is coming from the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), who also offered similar operations to citizens of Dunedin last year. The surgery involves shrinking the stomach, and will be available for […]
The answer seemingly is yes and no. According to a study published in the US Journal of General Internal Medicine, people who are obese will readily lose weight if they thought they would lose money. However once this financial inducement stops, they are unlikely to continue. The study involved participants being given weight loss counselling […]
In a recent interview singer Jennifer Hudson spoke of how Weight Watchers helped her lose weight. Speaking with Oprah Winfrey on the latter’s TV show, Jennifer said: “It’s like a brand-new me. Sometimes I don’t even recognize myself. … I feel so empowered.” She added: “I don’t really like to count the pounds. I look […]
Kevin Smith, a well known film maker told a TV interviewer that an incident at an airline helped him decide to lose weight. Apparently, when Mr. Smith tried to sit in his seat on a Southwest Airlines plane, a steward asked him to get off, although the person didn’t give an explanation. Kevin Smith said: […]
The US Federal Food and Drug Administration, (FDA) is refusing to give a licence to a new weight loss drug until further clinical tests have been carried out. The FDA is worried that Contrave, a new combo medication has been thoroughly evaluated for any cardiovascular risks. Contrave which is manufactured by pharmaceutical company Orexigen contains […]
It seems that Canadian women are having more trouble than most in controlling their weight. Not only are women in Canada gaining weight faster than men, they are also becoming overweight quicker than most other women in the West. This news was published in the medical journal called the Lancet, which has been tracking trends […]
The UAE Ministry of health has banned a herbal weight loss pill called Celerite; it’s believed to cause palpitations and other side effects. This ban follows other similar bans in the UAE recently of any medications containing sibutramine, which clinical trials relate to heart attacks. Celerite also contains sibutramine. Speaking with reporters Dr Amin Al […]