For people who are significantly overweight, the hardest part of losing their extra kilos is starting. In these cases invasive procedures like stomach stapling and gastric bands may be suggested as a way to get a person to the point where exercise and a controlled diet can take over.
How simple it would be if we could simply swallow a magic pill to shed a heap of weight! For many, it could mean the difference between a long and comfortable life and a short and painful one.
Well, in the US, that magic pill has been invented and is soon to come before the Food & Drug Administration for consideration.
The “pill” is actually a gastric balloon that’s swallowed like a pill with a tiny catheter attached. The balloon is filled via the catheter to the size of a grapefruit and sits in the stomach.
Researchers have reported that trial patients lose more than a third of their excess weight over a four-month period once the balloon is in place.
Gastric balloons are the new generation of treatment for obesity and it’s hoped they will provide a way to help improve related health conditions without undergoing an invasive and largely permanent replumbing of the digestive system.
By taking up room in the stomach, the gastric balloon creates a sensation of fullness and allows a person to develop healthy habits, such as portion control. After four months, the balloon is deflated and then passed in the stool.
A person is considered obese if their BMI is above 30.
Do you struggle with your weight? Could something like this help you?