The Bobbing Float Weight Loss Blog

Low Glycemic Index Diets may NOT Work

2005-10-30T21:44:00.000-08:00

Low Glycemic Index (LGI) diets is a popular weight loss trend of recent years that enjoys growing popularity. Dieters are increasingly interested in the glycemic value of foods after some studies suggested that a low-glycaemic diet could help control weight. It just sounds more sensible than many others. However, many experts have questioned whether there is enough evidence to demonstrate that low GI diets can cause weight loss. A new study may just give more credence to the naysayers of the low glycemic index diets and could just nudge this diet trend further towards the thrash box that is labelled as "Fad Diets".

Researchers from the University of Minnesota tested whether reducing the glycaemic index of a diet already low in calories would have any further benefit for a group of obese adults. Although the new trial confirmed the benefit of lowering glycemic index on insulin sensitivity, it did not impact the subjects' weight, they write in the October 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.

"In summary, lowering the glycemic load and glycemic index of weight reduction diets does not provide any added benefit to energy restriction in promoting weight loss in obese subjects," conclude the researchers.

Time to unload the faith on the glycemic load, folks. Base your faith on researched weight loss facts.

Weighty Problem for Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Venture

2005-10-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

I was honestly alarmed when I first saw Dr. Phil peddling weight loss bars. It was totally out of character with the straight shooting people's therapist to suddenly be pictured as a snake oil salesman. Most trained nutritionists knew that the claims, whether expressed or implied by the food bar ads were simply unsubstantiated by studies. So what was he thinking? Bad advise by greedy agents perhaps. But hey, he's supposed to be the expert. Now, he's facing class-action lawsuits.

Welcome to the U.S of A. You milk your brand name for maximum $$. On the other hand if you're a brand name with $$ already and you're peddling fluff, also be prepared for other people's attempt to milk your money. False weight loss claims are littered with lawsuits, and he's lucky that so far the FTC had only asked him to stop selling his supplements, unlike the financial redress that they sought from others such as Thermalean and Lipodrene.

So far any supplement that claims to (and actually does) promote fat metabolism has gone down the road to hell - such as ephedra and Fen-phen. They either lack clinical support or worse, introduce dangerous side effects.

Take your medicine and stick to your knitting, Dr. Phil. As a pyscho-therapist, you're still our man.

Lew

Australia's Bestselling Csiro's Diet Book Questioned

2005-10-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

There is a book in Australia that outsells the da Vinci Code and the latest Harry Potter book - the Csiro's Total Wellbeing Diet Book. In a country og 20 million people, it has sold over 370,000 copies and the publisher is targetting 1 million.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Csiro) is an Australian government-sponsored organization that gets involved in the wellbeing of the country's agricultural industry. This research was partly funded by the Meat and Livestock Industry and Dairy Australia. Should it be surprising that it would promote a high level of protein consumption in its recommended diet - in fact, 200g of red meat four times a week?

The book suggests that studies have "scientifically proven" that a high-protein diet is superior for weight loss - an exaggeration of the research findings. The claim that its diet reduces abdominal fat in women better than other diets, this applied only to women with high triglyceride levels. There is no evidence it helps other women and men with belly fat. Similarly, the claim that this high-protein diet is more "satisfying" and therefore easier to maintain than the high-carb diet is based on speculation. Don't end up as a slimmer but carrying a time bomb waiting to detonate a heart attack.

Read a more detailed review of the Csiro diet at weightlossadviser.com.

It goes to show that even government-sponsored diet programs can sink into fadism. For more on what the greater scientific body supports for weight loss, take a look at a free fact-based web-book.

Lew

The Obesity Myth's own Myths

2005-09-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

Paul Campos has become something of a spokesman for the anti-establishment view on obesity through his book, The Obesity Myth. The idea that much of the spin we hear from official sources about obesity is myth strikes a chord with many independant theorists. But how much of Campos' views are themselves factual?

One of the big proponents of the dangers of obesity and its economical cost is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through its director Julie Gerberding. When she apologized for flawed data that overstated the risk of obesity, it was a triumph for Campos' The Obesity Myth, later reissued as The Diet Myth in May 2005.

Health Dangers are Always Overstated

People only take notice of a health danger when the media make it a big deal - like the AIDS, Mad Cow disease, Ebola, West Nile virus, the flu vaccine mismanagement, and so on. They may not live up to the hype but they sure carried the message. Obesity is no exception to this, and health advisers would generally agree with the message that the hype on obesity carries. Take a look at studies that associate the many ailmants with obesity regardless of the numbers.

How does Campos fare?

Campos claims suggests that America is obsessed with weight and is a nation of dieter. However, studies show the opposite to be true. According to a survey published in USA Today in 2002, only one out of every five women said that losing weight was a top priority. In 2000, a People magazine survey found that only a quarter of had dieted at any point in the previous year. Other studies show that one-third to one-half rarely or never diet.

He also suggests that "advising people to eat less and exercising more appears to have ended up Americans a good deal fatter". Any reasonable person will ask how this can be logical. It's not. Just because there is more advice out there, it doesn;t mean that people are following it. The facts as borne out by studies found that most Americans have poor eating habits and don't do much exercise.

Campos also blames the lack of self-esteem to be a cause of overeating and weight gain. In fact, in 1998, USA Weekend conducted one of the largest surveys taken of American youth, covering a quater of a million students. One of the results say that 93 percent of them feel good about themselves. A recent gallop poll show that 90 percent of adult Americans are confident of their looks. Other studies generally support the fact that the majority of the people feel good about how they look.

He goes on to denounce popular culture's obsession with thinness. It's true that popular media pushes the thin model to be associated with beauty. This is countered by the many voices that criticize underweight. There is also no evidence that the majority aim for a thin body, and make that an obsession.

Then there is the irrational suggestion that because obesity rate and life expectancy have risen in tandem, there may something in this correlation. Once again there are plenty of studies that link obesity with a host of ailments. So, it is really careless to associate obesity with longevity by highlighting the correlation. Increased lifespan today is attributable to better medical science, medical treatment, better facilities, and simply better medicines. Statisticians who think through what has been presented should cringe at how the numbers can be misinterpreted.

Conclusion

Obesity is associated with numerous poor health conditions and increased economical cost. There is no global or nationwide obsession with obesity, and even if there is, it does not cause obesity. So, some numbers were wrong. The hands that made the mistakes have been rapped, but it doesn't change the underlying picture.

Source:

This article is extracted from Weightlossadviser.com, "Review of The Obesity Myth and The Diet Myth by Paul Campos".

Watch out for Xenedrine EFX Side Effects

2005-09-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Xenedrine has been marketed by Cytodyne as a weight loss supplement for quite a while now in a number of health and fitness magazines. There evidence that this is a marketing success based on the claim that it "uses advanced thermogenic technology".

What the active ingredients actually do

The main ingredients buried under "Thermodyne™ Complex" include green-tea extract, bitter orange and caffeine of unknown quantity. More information can be glanced in a more detailed review of Xenedrine EFX.

It's hard to consider any of the ingredients as new technology. Green tea has been consumed by the Chinese and Japanese for thousand of years. However, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition did find that when 10 men were given 270 mg of a green tea chemical called EGCG, and 50 mg caffeine, their metabolic rate increased by 4 percent, compared with less than 1 percent when they took caffeine alone. This result has been translated into a loss of 12 pounds a year. The problem with this conclusion is that that the study only looked at the effects of EGCG over a single day.

Side Effects Report

Of more concern is that according to a recent study by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, Single doses of Xenedrine EFX has been found to cause increased heart rate by an average of 11 to 16 beats per minute over baseline. This would be the equivalent of an 18 percent increase if baseline rate is 80 beats per minute.

In addition, Xenadrine EFX also significantly increased blood pressure by 7 to 12 percent (9-10 mm Hg), the researchers reported. Xenadrine EFX appears to have similar acute cardiovascular stimulant actions as banned ephedra products, according to their report.

Conclusion

There is no easy way to know how much green tea extract is in each tablet of Xenedrine EFX. If it is green tea you're after, it is far cheaper to simply drink green tea. The bitter orange component has been tested to cause the unwelcome symptoms in other studies. With Xenedrine EFX you could be supplementing your way into hyperthyroidism-like condition that includes increased heartrate and blood pressure.

Atkins and low-carb diets ain't dead yet

2005-09-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you're ever interested in news onthe subject of health and weight loss, you cannot avoid news about the bankruptcy of the Atkins organization. Atkins detractors celebrate the end of a fad. The company continues its misssion and undertakes a huge diet on its own to struggle for survival.

Meanwhile, many continue to swear by the diet. It is not a question that low-carb, high-protein, Atkins-type diets don't result in weight loss in the short term. Studies show that most dieters on Atkins eventually regain their weight, alongside other side effects.

At the end of the day, millions have reported very quick and substantial weight loss.
What is not fully understood, is exactly how Atkins works. At least one scientist, Dr Alex Johnstone, at the Rowett Research Institute in Scotland, believes that if she can crack that secret she might be able to develop an alternative diet that exploits the same mechanism, achieves weight loss on the same scale, but allows for healthier eating.

No, Atkins, low-carb and high-protein diets are far from dead. It would be a shame if they are dismissed without full understanding of why they work and why they don't.

Lew
www.slimlim.com
www.weightlossadviser.com

Hey, it's OK to be Fat (moderately)

2005-04-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

What a bombshell week! The people at UC Berkeley were right all along. Overweight doesn't mean you're unhealthy. In fact, the shocker is that moderately overweight (BMI of 25-30) could be healthier than median weight.

Read the recent findings on the risks of being overweight here.

If this notion gets more support some things are going to change. For a start the definition of a healthy weight range will need to extend up to BMI of 30. Some emphasis may need to shift from weight to exercise and the quality of food. If you're overweight you can now chill a little.

Note that health risk increases significantly as you become obese, so it still pays to guard your weight. On the other hand it is found that being too thin also carries health risks.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com
www.slimlim.com
www.free-weight-loss-programs.net

Your Diet Program Costs Too Much?

2005-04-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

If you are on the Jenny Craig, NutriSystem diet plans or just plain depending on other weight loss plans that supply your foods, you'd want to know how much more it's all costing you. Diet plans that also involve foods that are out of the ordinary like Atkins are also way up there. That's not surprising because everyone knows that protein and fat rich meats are expensive.

Here's what a study by Forbes found. Compared to a cost of about $54.44 a week for non-diet meals, the various popular diet plans cost as follows per week: Jenny Craig $137.65; Nutrisystem $113.52; Atkins $100.52; Weight Watchers $96.64; Zone Diet $92.84; Ornish Diet $78.74; South Beach Diet $78.61; Slim-Fast $77.73; Sugar Busters! $69.62; Subway Sandwich $68.60.

......and the rotten tomatoes go to Jenny Craig at more than three times the average cost of a normal diet.

You can read more details on the cost of these popular diets here.

Lew
www.weightlossadvser.com
www.slimlim.com

French Women DO Get Fat

2005-03-24T22:57:00.000-08:00

Most people who have their radar up for weight loss information should have heard of the new weight loss bestseller, "French Women Don't Get Fat". The author publicly stated that you don't need to read statistics to know that French women are not fat. And that's because of their lifestyle - eating meals slowly and doing a lot of walking.

There is merit to the observation but I can't help feeling that such an unscientific approach is of little help. In fact over a third of French women are currently either overweight (fat) or obese (really fat). More worrisome yet are the trend lines. Obesity in French women rose from 8 percent in 1997 to 11.3 percent in 2003, an increase of over 40 percent. (For men it was about the same, from 8.4 percent to 11.4 percent.) So, French women don't get fat? Give me a break.

See the full article here on Statistics and Overweight French Women.

Lew
www.WeightLossAdviser.com
www.slimlim.com

Atkins Diet responding to reality

2005-03-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

Are the Atkins Diet promoters finally recognizing the diet's failure? The consumers are voting with their checkbooks and the money propping up the Atkins fad is shrinking - and fast. The trend has been going the other way for Akins for more than one and a half years.

Bear in mind that the Atkins brand has been a commercial for at least a couple of years, selling and licenssing low carb products. Don't you think that there is a lack of credibility when you can't stick to your what defines you in the first place?

As a survival move they are now morphing into one of the many groups hailing the low glycemic index (GI) mantra - see the latest news. To be fair, Atkins was actually one of the earlier supporter of the GI concept. Hey, one's also got to do whatever it takes to survive.

But how good is the new GI fad? Read a fact-based article on the glycemic index and make your own conclusion. (I'm yet to be convinced.)

Lew
www.WeightLossAdviser.com
www.SlimLim.com

How to Lose 9 pounds in 11 days

2005-03-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

There is a website out there promoting a software-driven diet program and ebook claiming that they can help you lose 9 pounds in 11 days. Let's see how this works.

Basically, you have to burn a net of 3500 kilocalories (kcal) to lose 1 pound. So, to lose 9 pounds in 11 days, you'll have to lose 31,500 kcal in 11 days or 2864 kcal a day. Most active men live on 2000 to 2500 kcal /day. Let's say you're at the upper limit of 2500 kcal/day. If you absolutely eat nothing and still manage to go about your normal activity for 11 days by which time you're probably dead, you would have lost only lost under 8 pounds.

Or look at at it in another way. The average man burns about 1800 kcal/day if he lies still, eats nothing and does nothing. Then in 11 days if he's still alive, he would have been short by 11,700 kcal and lost only 5.6 pounds. Let's say if he can still go running or walk (you'll burn 100 kcal/day by covering distances) while he's starving himself, he'll have cover 117 miles over the 11 days or 10.6 miles a day. Well that's one way to do it if you can miraculously survive all that after 11 days.

They claim that your body will adapt to a lower burn rate when you diet and the idea is to reach
that burn rate by switching to foods recommended by them. Even if you starve, you can't lose that weight, so how do you do that by eating anything?

Remember, losing more than 2 pounds a week is not recommended by any sane qualified dietician.

In conclusion, only a person with a death wish should try to lose 9 pounds in 11 days, or 10 pounds in 2 days, or 54 pounds in 6 weeks, etc. as the ads tell you. Follow what genuine researchers found. Try looking at their works at www.weightlossadviser.com.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com
SlimLim.com

Very Fat, Very Fit, but for how long?

2005-03-04T03:54:00.000-08:00

Recent comments on a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association about obese players on the NFL (National Fat(?) League) makes me rethink about the 'fat but fit' vs 'need to be slim at all cost' debate. See for example, comments in this news article .

My BMI is below 25 and these athletes are way above 30 judging by their height and weight - yet I wouldn't want to run a race against them. That's where measurements like BMI's are inadequate because some people have disproportionate amount of muscle mass. However, I dread to think of their downward slide in health when they eventually retire - think about the arthritis that will set in on their battered knees and the toll on the heart when their metabolic rate eventually slows down.

Seems to me that 'fat but fit' may be OK when you are young and for a relatively short duration. There are too many medical conditions attached to long term obesity to believe that it is healthy to remain grossly overweight into mature age.

Stay within a safe body weight range, people.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com
SlimLim.com

Hospitals retooling for Growing Obesity

2005-02-19T04:38:00.000-08:00

The growing obesity is impacting daily service is interesting ways. Hospitals are now having to retool their facilities to cater for the growing number of obese patients.

The hottest-selling item in a local manufacturer's new medical equipment catalog is a hospital walker sturdy enough to assist a patient weighing up to 500 pounds. Throughout the Midwest and a nation suddenly acknowledging its mounting obesity epidemic, hospitals are adding new units, retrofitting their buildings, or simply investing in items such as heavy-duty wheelchairs, extra-strength toilets and even waiting-room chairs that can handle people weighing up to 1,000 pounds.

Big people make big impact, and the medical equipment suppliers are thanking the obese population for opening the doors to new opportunity. What's next - retooling for hotels?

Lew
www.WeightLossAdviser.com

Government Obesity Death Information Mess

2005-02-16T02:23:00.000-08:00

What a mess the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) got itself into. Media all over have been taking pot shots at officials accusing them of scare-mongering when they earlier claimed 400,000 deaths a year being related to obesity. CDC even suffered the indignity of being accused of being influenced by big-money corporations into causing the alarm. The fact that they followed the methodology of a discredited researcher is an interesting one.

Still, I don't get the uproar. It was a correction from 400,000 to 365,000 - less than 10% correction. I've seen worse in corporate reporting and much worse in claims made by diet patch peddlers. The message is still that obesity is related to a lot of medical conditions, so stay within a healthy weight range.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

Men Mars Women Venus Author is New Fadder

2005-02-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

You remember the bestseller 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' book don't you? I remember some sniffles from some renowned psychologists about the claims made in the book. But hey, it's pop culture and the author, John Gray made lots of money.

But I've got to say something about him peddling his milkshakes, MarsVenus Supershakes on the claims that they help you to lose weight because they balance the 'feel good' neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Sure smells of a bad attempt at a 'fad' diet. And that makes Gray a 'fadder'. One reason the claim's just not on because many people eat when they're happy too.

Sorry, to shake your shake Dr. Gray (pun intended) many substances affect your appetite. Some of the key ones are leptin (makes you feel full) and ghrelin (makes you hungry). Learn more about these and other hormones, and genes that affect weight.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Anna Nicole Smith will get Fat again

2005-01-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what's been motivating Anna Nicole Smith into looking that gorgeous again. All those ads she has done for Trimspa - when research shows that dietary supplements don't really work on ther own - is just plain irritating. Have you noticed that the script says nothing about the efficacy of the supplement? That's because the FDA will be after them if they do. The ads are type that push images that give you easy recollection of the product.

Anyway here's my theory, it's just plain easy for a sloppy celebrity to slip back into that great life of lying in and pigging out, when the job's done. But there are studies that support the theory that our genes cause 50%-90% of our weight structure. Then there is the Set Point Theory that claims that we ultimately settle down to a preset weight predisposed with us.

Sorry, keeping slim for many people is really a lot of work. The latest official dietary guidelines say that we need to work out 60 minutes a day to lose weight and 90 minutes to maintain it. Hope that's solidly backed by studies because it really is beyond what most people have the time to do.

Who's next - Kirsty Alley? I really do like her in 'Cheers', so I wish her well.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Most Diet Programs Don't Deliver

2005-01-04T23:37:00.000-08:00

The hot news over the last few days was a study that shows that most diet programs don't deliver as expected. Only 1 (out of 3) randomized trial of Weight Watchers shows a respectable amount of weight loss. That is not a necessarily a convincing endorsement of Weight Watchers either - 5% of body weight (or 10 pounds) in 6 months, and kept off 3% of body weight (or 5 pounds) in 2 years.

Who are the others? They are Jenny Craig, L A Weight Loss, very-low-calorie diet, Health Management Resources, OPTIFAST, and eDiets.com, Overeaters Anonymous and Take Off Pounds Sensibly. The study accuses many of these programs of only presenting best-case scenario.

So, watch your wallet folks. Join a gym.

I have my TV on as I write this, and the ads for EstrinD and Hydroxycut just popped up. A similar kind of report on these products should provoke some really interesting reactions.

Lew

More weight loss news
WeightLossAdviser.com

But Diet and Exercise Need Each Other

2004-12-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

In my last blog posting, I discussed the important role of body chemicals to achieve weight loss, on top of diet and exercise. Well, the latest hot news article is that some Harvard researchers have found that even then BOTH diet and exercise are needed for longevity. So "fat and fit" no longer fits in for meaningful weight loss program. Time for my friends at UC Berkeley for a rethink perhaps.

That also means that if you are lean because you are blessed with the right genetic combinations, you still need to exercise.

But hey, the advocates of calorie restrictions for longevity from the anti-aging camp have known this all along.

Read more about the Harvard research on exercise and weight.

Lew
More news on Weight Loss
WeightLossAdviser.com

Diet and Exercises are Not Enough

2004-12-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

Virtually all diet and exercise plans do not consider the chemical interactions in your body that influences hunger. In fact a low calorie diet could do more harm than good to the morbidly obese - by triggering a certain appetite stimulant.

There are groups of appetite inhibitors and stimulants that come into play everytime you eat. Even when you sleep.

It is a complicated picture - another mark in the miraculous ways that our bodies operate. But new understanding is paving the direction of future research.

Get a better understanding by reading the interaction of the body hunger chemicals.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

Huge Jump in Obesity among Workers

2004-12-11T03:40:00.000-08:00

Watch this - in a study of American workers, comparing with 10 years earlier:

Obesity increased 43.8%

Hypertension increased to 35.3% from 8.8%,

Dyslipidemia increased to 36.4% from. 22.1%,

Type 2 diabetes increased to 11.9% vs. 3.2%,

Metabolic syndrome increased to 53.6% from
5.7%.

Obesity now affects 29.4% of workers.

Obese workers have the highest prevalence of work limitations 6.9% vs. 3.0% among normal-weight workers.

Obesity is like a disease epidemic - it's everywhere growing at frightening rates. Scary. It even infects workers (who by definition "work"). It must be the ubiquity of cheap junk fast food that comes with unlimited soda.

Read the full article about the rise in obesity among workers.

Lew

More news on Weight Loss and Obesity

Grapefruit Dieters Should be Admired

2004-12-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

I admire grapefruit dieters NOT because I think the diet works. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could stay on that diet for any length of time. I dislike grapefruit for a start - it's sour and does things to my salivary gland in unimaginable ways.

Anyone thinking of doing the grapefuit diet should be careful of the amount of caffeine recommended through coffee, the utter lack of calories will cause fatigue, and much of the weight lost is not fat but most likely water and muscle mass. Furthermore the basic diet it is severely unbalance and you have to supplement with other foods or supplements - so what's the point.

Read a review of the grapefruit diet.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Blood Type Diets have little Scientific Support

2004-12-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

A number of people have claimed success with the Blood Type Diets promoted by Dr. Adamo and his book, Eat Right for your Type. Others like me like see scientific support.

Blood Type Diets are based on the concept that nutritional needs and nutrient metabolism differ according to someone's blood type. Dr. Adamo hypothesised that the different blood types emerged in an evolutionary process, instead of occurring simultaneously. He proposed that contemporary dieters should mimic the eating patterns of their ancestors with the same blood type.

What's the problem?

There is no significant scientific evidence to support the blood type diet hypothesis. Dr. Adamo has not produced any, and members of the medical community object to frightening images that were portrayed without scientific evidence. For example, "....lectin proteins on some foods causing blood agglutination in certain people of blood types who are "not genetically/evolutionarily suited" to eat those foods", when there is no evidence that this is damaging.

A potential problem with this diet is the unbalanced nutrient intake. Although some followers of the diet do feel healthier for cutting out certain foods, eating an excess of any type of food can lead to health complications, such as cardiovascular disease.

Read a Review of Blood Type Diets

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Many fitness experts are wrong about Metabolic Rate

2004-12-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

Many fitness experts claim that increased exercises by way of weight and aerobics training could increase the rest metabolic rate (RMR). This implies that if you are exercising more, the newly acquired higher RMR will burn off more energy.

Research does not support this, and in fact found the opposite could be true. The efficient (low) heartbeat rate of really fit athletes suggests also a low RMR. Maybe that's why overweight people who exercise a lot could still not lose weight if they don't control diet.

Read about some research on rest metabolic rate (RMR).

But don't be discouraged. The act of exercising will burn the calories. That's the Law of Thermodynamics in the Energy Equation.

Lew
More News on Weight Loss and Obesity.

Why it's hard to lose weight - the RMR

2004-12-08T05:59:00.000-08:00

An understanding of the Rest Metabolic Rate (RMR) gives some answers to the question of why some people just finds it hard to keep weight off.

The RMR has a large part of the total equation of energy burned / stored by the body, and represents how a person is predisposed towards obesity.

With the extensive media coverage given to solutions such as diet programs, people forget a significant factor in the equation - the body's natural predisposition or tendency to fatness.

Read my article about the Rest Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Lew
More Weight Loss and Obesity News

Diet Pills can make Gay Babies

2004-12-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

Women, be careful what you take during pregnancy unless you want gay (especially) female children.

A new research study found that mothers of homosexuals were eight times more likely to have taken two identified slimming drugs during the first three months of their pregnancy - Thyroxine, and amphetamine-based diet pills.

Read more about the link between these diet pills and the likelihood of bearing gay daughters.

Lew
More news on Obesity and Weight Loss.

Liposuction Patients Easily Put on Weight

2004-12-02T01:50:00.000-08:00

Go for liposuction, and you'd better watch your diet and exercise.

A new research says that liposuction patients are 3 times more likely to gain weight without adhering to a proper diet and 4 times more likely to gain weight without regular exercise. But patients who adhere to a proper diet after liposuction are two times more likely to lose weight.

Read more about this surprising study on liposuction and weight loss.

Lew
More News on Obesity and Weight Loss

FTC Charges Makers of Thermalean and Lipodean.

2004-11-30T07:04:00.000-08:00

The long arm of FTC is catching with more makers and marketers of dietary supplements for misleading claims on safety and efficacy. This time the defendants are the ones behind Thermalean and Lipodean. The companies have credible-sounding names too - National Urological Group, Inc.; National Institute for Clinical Weight Loss, Inc.; Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ahhh...the things one would do to deceive...

Read about the FTC lawsuit against the makers of Thermalean and Lipodean. This is part of the ongong campaign against "Big Fat Liars".

Lew
More News on Weight Loss and Obesity.

Now they say that Potato is Good

2004-11-24T23:17:00.000-08:00

Potato carbs are still bad if you are a low-carb diet believer. But the its protein appears to help with weight loss.

Recent clinical data shows that what's inside the potato could help many people lose weight and keep it off. After twenty years of research, scientists have successfully extracted a protein molecule from potatoes. A protein that tells your brain that you're full, meaning you eat less and lose weight.

Lew
More News on Obesity and Weight Loss

"Obesity Makes You Stupid"

2004-11-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

I was trying to explain to my 14-year old son about research that shows obesity leading to bran tissue loss in women, leading to dementia.

"You mean obesity makes you stupid!", he says.

Well, kinda...

Read about recent research on obesity and dementia.

Lew
More News on Weight Loss and Obesity

Arguments in Milk Calcium Claims for Weight Loss

2004-11-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

It was only as couple of months ago that the dairy industry embraced with enthusiasm, findings that the increase in dietary calcium caused a loss of body fat.

"...if everyone consumed adequate dietary calcium - three to four servings a day - while controlling their calories, Americans could lose an average of 15 pounds. It could have profound effects, population-wide, by lowering the number of people who are overweight."

Then came the swift repudiation: "It was quite disappointing that there were no differences between the high- and low-dairy groups in our study. It may be that a low-calorie, high-dairy diet may offer just two pounds more weight loss than a low-calorie, low-dairy diet. But it is not going to be a magic bullet."

Read the differing findings and interpretation about the impact of milk calcium on weight loss.

Lew
More News On Weight Loss

It's in the ENERGY DENSITY, not Food Portion, Silly!

2004-11-19T06:49:00.000-08:00

...and all the while we figure that the less we eat, the less calories we consume. It makes sense when someone tells us that a lot of what we eat is mainly water and fiber (fruits and veggies), which is less dense than meat, it matters less what the portion size is. Well, this is now backed by research.

So, go for those fruits and veggies that our mothers have always told us to eat.

"Decreasing the energy density of your diet by choosing more low-energy-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can be a successful strategy to lose weight without counting calories or fat grams," according to the study.

Lew
More Weight Loss News

Low-Fat Diets Better for Long Term

2004-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

Just when you think that Low-Carb Diets have clobbered Low-Fat Diets, look again. The low-carb diet fad is losing steam. Studies are starting to back LOW-FAT diets for the long term.

"People who started eating more fat ... regained the most weight over time," said Suzanne Phelan, a Brown Medical School psychologist who presented results of the study Monday at a meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, held in Las Vegas.

Read more about why researchers are now backing low-fat diets for the long-term.

Lew
More News On Weight Loss and Obesity

Genes Can Cause Obesity

2004-11-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Bet you knew it already. You may be starving and can't get that weight off, and your pal eats like a horse and stays thin like a person out of a concentration camp.

And here is a report of opinions from various sources to confirm what you already know.

"The answer is complex and not the same for everyone. Apart from upbringing and environment, scientists are discovering, genes and biology are more important than previously believed. " "The people who are not increasing their weight have something special — they are resistant to obesity," said Philippe Froguel, an obesity expert and chairman of genomic medicine at Imperial College in London.

More.....

Lew
More News on Weight Loss and Obesity

Low-carb Diets found to Cut Beer Belly

2004-11-15T05:04:00.000-08:00

Firstly, you need to know that this research study, just published, is partly funded by the Atkins Foundation, so it invites controversy. Secondly, the results are published in a peer-reviewed journal, so the results warrant some respect.

The study shows that over 70% of men lost more weight and fat on a low carbohydrate diet, despite eating more calories.

Jeff Volek and colleagues, from the University of Connecticut, also show for the first time that a low carbohydrate diet is much more effective in losing fat from the stomach and chest. Not only this help with one's looks but fat around the belly carries more risk than fat elsewhere.

But are we exchanging these benefits for added risks for osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, kidney problems and liver disorders, that are associated with low-carb diets?

Read about this research finding on the effect of low-carb diets on belly fat.

Lew
More Weight Loss amd Obesity News

Obesity Could be a Viral Infection

2004-11-14T04:50:00.001-08:00

That's what some researchers are concluding. Unfortunately there appears to be no cure nor preventive shot for this infection.

The researchers tested over 500 humans and found that about 30% of obese people have antibodies to the virus (called, "Ad-36"), but only about 10% of non-obese people have antibodies. People who have Ad-36 antibodies average more than 50 lb heavier and have much lower amounts of blood cholesterol and triglycerides than those without antibodies. The scientists also tested 26 twin pairs where one twin had Ad-36 antibodies and one twin did not. The infected twins weighed more and had a higher body fat than did the non-infected twins. Since twins are usually very much alike, this provides strong additional evidence that the Ad-36 virus produces obesity in humans.

Read more about the research on this Obesity/Fat virus.

Lew
More Weight Loss News

2004-11-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

That's what some researchers are leading to. It really could be a viral infection and you are not responsible for it. Unfortunately if this is so, there is no shot available yet to prevent the infection.

The researchers tested over 500 humans and found that about 30% of obese people have antibodies to the virus (called "Ad-36"), but only about 10% of non-obese people have antibodies. People who have Ad-36 antibodies average more than 50 lb heavier and have much lower amounts of blood cholesterol and triglycerides than those without antibodies. The scientists also tested 26 twin pairs where one twin had Ad-36 antibodies and one twin did not. The infected twins weighed more and had a higher body fat than did the non-infected twins. Since twins are usually very much alike, this provides strong additional evidence that the Ad-36 virus produces obesity in humans.

Read about the Ad-36 Obesity Virus Research.

Lew
More Weight Loss News

"The Government Has No Balls"

2004-11-12T01:10:00.000-08:00

As implied in an article about food politics: "food industry giants lobby government departments to make sure their health advice is so watered down as to be meaningless. The USDA, for example, doesn't even have the political courage to admit that drinking soft drinks causes diabetes and obesity (thanks to the lobbying efforts of the soft drink industry). They certainly won't say that red meat causes cancer and heart disease (thanks to lobbying efforts from the beef industry), nor that refined white flour causes nutritional deficiencies and blood sugar disorders (thanks to the grain growers associations). "

"It's probably because the vast majority of the people actually writing these dietary guidelines have financial ties to the very food industry groups that would be financially harmed by any advice telling Americans to eat less of anything."

My big gripe - all those soda drink dispensers you see in schools. The cost of treating obesity arising from this, starting with kids, outweighs the financial contribution that the corporations claim are putting back to fund programs. Are the local school districts, or should they, be so financially hard-up?

Lew
Read More News On Weight Loss

Serious Weight Loss Drug Coming

2004-11-11T02:59:00.000-08:00

It's the big news during the last couple of days. This drug, Acomplia (Rimonabant) by Sanofi-Aventis, a French drug company, seems like the answer to every lazy dieter's dream. I don't normally promote something that makes such a claim but everyone else seems to believe in it. They did a good PR job in building up investors interest in the company though. I haven't check its stock price but I assume it has gone through the roof.

In any case, it IS a newsworthy drug. This experimental drug helps you lose weight, quit smoking and it also helps protect your heart. Trials have shown that 33% of people on Rimonabant lost 10% of body weight and kept their weight down for two years - this is a record, no other diet drug has managed to keep a person's weight down for so long. It is nothing to sniff at because if you weigh 200 pounds, you can lose 20 pounds by taking it.

The second 33% lost 5% of body weight and kept it down.

As well as keeping you lean, the drug also helps you quit the smoking habit. This will be of great interest for many smokers who are afraid to give up because they say they will put on weight if they do.

It is now waiting for FDA approval. Read more.

I don't believe it will be anything cheap. Try some of the suggestions given for free on my website, say the simple "Northwoods Diet", increase your workout and maybe by the time the drug is approved, hopefully you won't need it.

Lew
Read the latest Weight Loss news.

"Big Fat Liars" sued by FTC, Media gets Rapped

2004-11-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

The companies behind the following products are the "Big Fat Liars" sued by the FTC (not the first and probably not the last): "Gel•ä•thin", "Ultra LipoLean", “1-2-3 Reduce Fat”, “Siluette Patch”, “Fat Seltzer Reduce”,“Hanmeilin Cellulite Cream,” “Bio Trim,” “Body-Trim/Bio-Trim” or “Body-Trim”, "Chinese Diet Tea", "Bio-Slim Patch", “Himalayan Diet Breakthrough,” "Slim Patch" and "Bodylite Gel Patch".

The publications named for running the ads are: Cosmopolitan; Woman’s Own; Complete Woman; USA Weekend; Dallas Morning News; San Francisco Chronicle; Cleveland Plain Dealer; Albuquerque Journal; and TeleRevista Magazine. Red Flag guidelines on bogus ads given out by the FTC were not followed by the named publications.

It's all part of an initiative by the FTC called, "Operation Big Fat Lie". “False and misleading advertisements are about as credible as a note from the Tooth Fairy,” said Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras.

Read the details here.

Keep your antennae up. I expect more action to come. This is only scratching the surface. You too can play the game of "Aha - another "Big Fat Lie"! when you spot one of the ads - just follow the Red Flag Guideline by the FTC. They're everywhere.

Lew
Read the Latest News on Weight Loss

Dieting Could Dangerous if You're Above 60

2004-11-09T01:57:00.000-08:00

If you follow this blog, you'll know that I advocate weight loss. Hey, just 10% gives you the benefit of reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart condition, etc.

But a report just got released to say that if you're above 60, just hold your horses. After that age, stop dieting, say experts. Losing weight by not eating is dangerous for the elderly, so much so that even nursing homes have stopped serving diets that could promote weight loss, they say. If you want to lose weight, exercise, but don't stop eating.

Dropping weight for younger people means an effort to reduce body fat. But for older people, losing weight often means dropping muscle mass and bone mass. Also, the chemistry of weight loss can actually make illnesses such as heart disease and other organ diseases worse.

Confused? Read more about it.

In any case for some people, weight loss is not beneficial - if you're "fat but fit", a pregnant woman, nursing mother, or a growing kid.

Lew
More Latest News on Weight Loss

Extra Human Baggage Costs Airlines Extra $275 Million, Costs the Man Plenty Too

2004-11-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some quantifiable costs to obesity. Through the 1990s, the average weight of Americans increased by 10 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The extra weight caused airlines to spend $275 million to burn 350 million more gallons of fuel in 2000 just to carry the additional weight of Americans.

Alright, you may not care that much for the airlines although the trivia is interesting. But listen to this: according to a recent study, overweight men averaged $39.27 per month, and obese men spent $80.31 per month – about 3.5 times what their normal-weight counterparts spent. That's not counting pharmacy costs, which for obese men, coronary heart disease related drugs can cost $42.02 per month and other drugs, $38.29. That's nice contribution to the mortgage payments.

Read more about the toll and costs of obesity.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com
Read a Lot More News On Obesity and Weight Loss

Food labels to Really tell you when to Stop

2004-11-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposal, expected to be released next month, would tell food manufacturers for the first time to list on packages the percentage of daily recommended calories the product contains.

I might just be shocked into putting that bag of crisps back on the shelf if it tells me that it exceeds my daily consumption of fats and carbs. On the other hand, maybe the temptation could prove too overpowering...again...A new slap on the hand helps.

Lew
More News on Weight Loss

Diet Marketers Stumped!

2004-11-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

Here are some surprising results from a recent BestDietForMe.com survey:
• BMI… 48.7% of consumers looking to lose weight had a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher, indicating they are obese. 24.7% of consumers had a BMI of 35 or more, meaning they may be candidates for bariatric surgery. The remaining 26.6% were overweight, but not obese.
• Dieters’ Budgets… An overwhelming 91.9% of consumers want to spend less than $500 on weight loss programs. Another 5.6% are willing to spend $500-1,500, and just 2.4% will spend $1,500 or more.
• Preferred Location of Weight Loss Programs… 80.6% of dieting consumers favor a “do-it-yourself” quick weight loss diet they can access from home (online or by phone), or want to use a diet book bestseller or celebrity diet plan (fad diets). This is a higher share than previously estimated by consumer magazines and trade groups (70%).
• Preferred Food Plan… 59.2% of dieters prefer a healthy diet of supermarket food in their diet plan, while 7.5% want pre-packaged or diet company food. Another 3% want a meal replacement product (shakes, bars), and 2% favor modified liquid diets. 28.3% have no food preference.

Many are candidates for surgery but prefer to solve their own problems themselves, and not many are keen on spending too much on programs.

Lew
More news on Weight Loss

Beginning of the end of Low-Carb Food Sales?

2004-11-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

The merits of low-carb diets are probably here to stay, at least for a while. But it seems like the commercial food industry overrated dieters real want. Too bad for the marketeres that in the end the taste buds count. Bad-for-health but good-for-taste carbo and fats still hold sway. The consumers are starting to vote for taste, and so it seems if the recent local report in Modesto, CA is anything to go by.

Lew
More news on Weight Loss

Being Overweight Doesn't Mean You Have to Lose Weight

2004-11-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Many already know this. Many hope for this. It's true if you are fit and healthy and love to work out. That scrawny guy you admire over there could be suffering from bunch of ailments that you might not be aware of - hyper-thyroidism, high LDL cholesterol levels, or maybe something more serious.

Some should not even diet - pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, sick people, etc. - read the list.

Better to be fat and fit than thin and sick. For some people, the BMI can go out of the window.

Lew
More Weight Loss News

Wealthy can mean Healthy

2004-10-31T06:42:00.000-08:00

...so suggested in a recent Scottish report. Annual statistics issued recently by their National Health Service showed the downward trend in heart disease-related deaths and illnesses has continued this year, but more people from poorer backgrounds are falling victim to heart attacks and strokes. Men living in the former industrialised heartlands of west central Scotland are still the most likely to be struck down by heart disease or die from a stroke or a heart attack.

A large part of this phenomenon is due to obesity and inactivity. Ministers recognised the need to encourage more physical activity as well as weight loss in reducing heart disease.

Lew
More news on the subject of obesity and weight loss.

Another Challenge for Obese Pregnant Women

2004-10-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Overweight and obesity have long been known to complicate pregnancy. Both overweight and obesity increase the chances for such serious and potentially life-threatening complications of pregnancy as gestational diabetes, pregnancy-associated hypertension, and preeclampsia.

Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health says that pregnant women who are overweight or obese progress through labor more slowly than do normal weight women.

Lew
More news on the subject of Weight Loss.

The Risks of Obesity Surgery

2004-10-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

Followers to my blog would notice that I have been touting the merits of obesity surgery for the extremely obesse. Don't forget the risks though: Such problems can include malnourishment (since the stomach is reduced substantially), infections, and a small rate of deaths. Read more in a recent article. But hey, weigh that against the the risks of not doing something about the extreme weight problem.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Even if you weigh half a ton!

2004-10-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

Lemme see....such a person couldn't walk through my door, not to say that I wouldn't welcome him.

Here's the news: Patrick Deuel, 42, who weighed about half a ton when he was admitted to a hospital was recovering on Wednesday from obesity surgery. He underwent the procedure to reduce the size of his stomach four months after being admitted to the hospital at 482kg. There's hope for everybody - read more about it.

Lew
weightlossadviser.com
More news on Obesity and Weight Loss

Obesity surgeries could lead to higher health insurance premiums

2004-10-26T23:27:00.000-07:00

Think about it. The federal government recently ruled that taxpayers will foot the bills for weight loss surgeries and other weight loss treatments for Medicare patients, if medical evidence can demonstrates their effectiveness. This is the door opening to broader obesity-related coverages. Everyone's premiums will be impacted if, as expected, private and employer-based health insurance plans follow suit. It's anticipated that as coverage becomes more readily available, more Americans will seek the surgeries and the numbers performed will skyrocket from this year's estimated 144,000 surgeries. So will the costs. This issue is nicely covered by Sandy Szwarc in a news article.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com
Read more news on obesity and weight loss.

Endermologie - the Answer to Cellulite and Some Weight Loss

2004-10-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

OK, this may not have a lot to do with weight loss, but too many associate cellulites with obesity. I suppose they fall under the same category if one seeks to improve one's look by dealing with what's just under the skin and wellbeing. So far it appears that Endermologie treatments have a record of making a lot of people happy in this respect (if they can afford it). No, I am not paid for this commercial.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com
Read the latest news on Weight Loss

Obesity can lead to dementia

2004-10-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Add Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease to a long list of woes awaiting the obese. This is based on findings presented at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders in July, 2004. The findings just extends the length of the footnote to attributable medical conditions that is pretty numbing already.

Lew
http://www.weightlossadviser.com

More Heat on the Biggest Loser TV Show, also Lessons

2004-10-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I talked about the objections of nutritionists to the Biggest Loser reality TV show. Now, more researchers are throwing their jabs, "Very humiliating," "Both cruel and counterproductive," "Competition may be a benefit to some people, but it's not a benefit when it damages self-esteem". I thought one only get the real answers by directly defriefing the contestants.

Anyhow, before you think you can learn new tips from the show, the Washington Post reported the "real" lessons: Don't try this at home, Go ahead, compete - but within limits, Get a physical exam, Find support, Ratchet up physical activity slowly, etc.(read more). So, here are more caveat to arm yourselves with while watching the show. It's just a couple of days away to the next episode.

Have fun.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

From Obesed to Marathon Runner!

2004-10-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Are you obese? Go to the Salk Hospital for a biochemical treatment. In a few weeks you will be endowed with highly efficient lean muscles. With little further training, you can even run the marathon.

Don't rush yet - this could be an event of the future. But is it science fiction?

"Salk" is a real name behind the Salk Intitute that discovered a biochemical receptor called PPAR-delta, when switched on prevented a mouse from becoming obese yet endowed it with slow-twitch muscles that turned it into a marathon runner. The mouse was treated with a drug which is now in the earliest stages of being tested on people for its effects on obesity and other disorders of fat metabolism such as high blood cholesterol.

With that hope I am heading to the burger joint and put to rest my week-long craving for that carbo infusion.

Read more about this wonder receptor.

Lew
http://www.weightlossadviser.com

The Biggest Loser - Reality or Fantasy Show?

2004-10-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

I know a large number of US folks, who care to read this blog, would also have caught the new reality show on TV - The Biggest Loser. Concerted exercise (6 hours a day) and extreme diets produced impressive weight loss. Most shed more than 10 pounds in one week, one shed 22 pounds!

The New York Post reported the downside quoted from notable nutritionists: "..shaving 15 to 20 pounds a week “can put you at significant risk for heart problems, gall bladder problems and electrolyte loss.” “We’re sensationalizing on a very serious epidemic and its related diseases. We’re not going to learn anything from this.”

“I think a lot of the people on the show will gain it right back, but I think it will be very popular. It strikes a chord with so many people in the U.S....It’s not 22 pounds of fat. It’s water. If they lose weight too fast, they’re going to lose muscle tissue. Healthy weight loss is focusing on fat loss. And that comes off more slowly.."

That's the caveat. Now you can go back to watching the show in the right perspective. Hang on tight to your seats. It promises to be an interesting ride.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

Are you overweight by 30 kg (66 pounds)? You may have to seriously consider surgery

2004-10-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

If you are severely obese, here is the grim news - you may have to consider surgery.

Professor Paul O'Brien, of Melbourne's Monash University, said non-surgical therapies failed to provide long-term weight loss for people more than 30kg (66 pounds) overweight.
"Diets, exercise, behavioural modification and tablets - they're simply not powerful enough and not durable enough to have a good impact on their weight and their health," Prof O'Brien said.

He said the safest form of surgery to help people lose weight was the lap-band procedure which involved placing an adjustable band across the top of a patient's stomach.

The good news is ..."It doesn't keep people in hospital for very long and we don't hurt them very much," Prof O'Brien said.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

The Northwoods Diet - Better than Atkins, South Beach, etc.?

2004-10-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, check this out. A new diet program, the Northwoods Diet, doesn't make you feel like the author is trying to milk our misery. It is simple, based on common sense, and seems to work. The author, Prof. David Bernlohr is head of the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota. He lost 40 pounds in six months on the diet last year, and while he piled on some pounds last summer, he went back on the diet and dropped most of them.

The basic program:

Breakfast: Carbohydrates.

Lunch: Protein and fats.

Dinner: Healthful, one-helping dinner.

Snacks: Chocolate, peanuts and beer. No food after 7:30 p.m.

How simple can you get!

Read more about the Northwoods Diet.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

"Lap-Band" - the alternative to drastic gastric bypass

2004-10-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

When we talk about Obesity (Bariatric) surgery, we often think about the drastic gastric bypass that Al Roker and most Americans undergo. There may be a safer alternative - the Laproscopic Gastric Banding (or "Lap-Band") surgery. Like the name says, it reduces the size of the stomach by banding it, through the less-invasive laproscopic technique - learn more. Can anyone tell me if this is covered by any medical insurance in the US?

Lew
weightlossadviser.com

FDA approved diet pills too have dangers

2004-10-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

When we hear of diet pills, we often think of those touted by the supplements sellers, such as the now-banned ephedra. In case we forget, there are FDA-approved prescription pills out there. They can be effective, and from what I know, it is good that they remain prescription.

Do you know that new studies indicate that nearly one-third of teenage girls are taking some type of "body shaping" diet pills? Use of diet pills — even over-the-counter ones — can cause high blood pressure, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats, blurred vision, headaches, insomnia, anxiety and depression. Using diet pills is just one way teenage girls abuse themselves in today's environment.

Understand the dangers of diet pills, the environment and the effects on teenage girls.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

2004-10-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Obesity becoming insurable

2004-10-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Since officially considered as a disease, at least one health insurance company, Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will pay for consultations and treatments designed to help obese people lose weight. More than a million of its customers will be eligible. For eligible patients, it will provide four physician office visits annually and related testing for evaluation and treatment of obesity; coverage of two federally approved prescription weight-loss drugs when medically necessary; and assistance from licensed registered dietitians. Read more.

This will start next April. Hopefully, others will follow soon, and we can prevent the many millions being spent on obesity-related diseases each year.

Lew
www.weightlossadviser.com

Corti..whatever. What are they thinking?

2004-10-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

I glanced at the TV yesterday and saw an ad by a Corti..something. That is a few days after FTC had taken a lawsuit against Cortislim for false claims!! What are they thinking? I only remember "Corti.." and not the exact name. If it is indeed Cortislim, perhaps the ads were committed. If it is another product of a similar name, it must be asking for trouble.

But people please be wary.

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com

Low Carb Claims cautioned

2004-10-16T01:32:00.000-07:00

Once again another advice has turned up to tell us not to put all your eggs on low carb diets - the weight loss is not sustainable and they lead to yo-yo dieting. This time it comes from the Canadian Feds. - Feds caution against low-carb claims

Other News:

Liposuction can cure diabetes - bet you didn't know that!

Notice the flurry of press releases on gastric bypass recently? Other than it being a a real pain (pun intended), there are some real health benefits. But careful, there are also reports of new nervy stuff as side effects. Read more...

Lew
WeightLossAdviser.com