Despite massive publicity surrounding the problem of obesity, over one-third of Americans have a body mass index of 30 or higher which puts them in the category of being termed “overweight”. Excess weight often brings with it a higher risk of joint problems, cancer, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, gallbladder disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental illness, sleep apnea, breathing problems, body pain and mobility issues.
Some people are able to lose weight through the traditional diet and exercise regime but diet and exercise doesn’t work for everyone. You can try the SlimFitRX Weight Loss.
Some people are able to lose weight through the traditional diet and exercise regime but diet and exercise doesn’t work for everyone. In addition, many people feel that losing the weight is just the first part of the battle – it’s more difficult to keep the weight off than it is to win a super jackpot with Grande Vegas casino bonuses.
Around the world, research centers, start-ups and health institutions are racing to try to find new strategies to help people lose weight. Some of the most promising include:
Setmelanotide
One of the biggest problems for people who are trying to lose weight is that they feel hungry more than is usual. Researchers have identified the brain processes that regulates appetite and say that for some people, that process misfires which leads them to gain weight. An experimental drug called setmelanotide affects a key brain pathway that controls appetite which leads to the diminishing of appetite and gives the individual a better handle on controlling it.
Early studies of setmelanotide have been encouraging and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the drug “breakthrough therapy” status, meaning that it is being fast-tracked through the process for approval for individuals who have been diagnosed with genetic obesity caused by single-gene mutation. That mutation is rare but researchers are hopeful that uses for the drug will be able to be expanded in the future for use with others suffering from obesity.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass surgery has been available for close to 60 years and is the most commonly-performed weight-loss procedure in the US. Proponents say that it provides a good balance of weight loss and manageable side effects. In the procedure, the surgeon separates the upper and lower portions of the stomach and then connects the upper portion (the “pouch”) to the limb of the small intestine. This restricts the amount of food that can be eaten so you feel full after you eat only a small portion.
Gastric bypass surgery is recommended because the average weight loss is greater than that of other procedures but there can be complications including bleeding, infection, blockages and blood clots. In addition, as one’s ability to eat large portions of food drops, so does the ability to absorb needed nutrients and calories.
New advances in bariatric surgery have made the procedure safer. For one thing, the surgery can now be performed laparoscopically, meaning without breaking through the skin. Other advances include use of the loop anastomosis to replace the RY anastomosis of the duodenal switch and doing the surgery via an endoscopic procedure.
Practitioners also now know that different types of gastric surgery are indicated for different patients. For example, long-sleeve gastric surgery should be avoided in patients with reflux disease, diabetic patients do better with laparoscopic R‐Y gastric bypass, RYGB is best for patients who suffer from diabetes and patients with a family history of gastric cancer may do better with a sleeve gastrectomy with duodenojejunal bypass.
TMAO-Blocking Drug
TMAO is a microbiome, a population of bacteria that lives in the body and has been linked to obesity. A chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) biologically connects body weight to the microbiome. By blocking the production of TMAO, it’s believed that weight-gain can be avoided, even when the patient eats a high-fat, high-calorie diet. Currently research is underway to produce a weight loss TMAO-blocking drug. Researchers say that it could be available in 5-7 years.
Therapy
Therapy is nothing new in the arsenal of obesity-treatment but there’s a new approach called “acceptance-based behavioral treatment” that emphasizes the affirmation of the patient’s situation – talking about how difficult weight loss can be, the frustrations of dealing with hunger and cravings, feelings of deprivation, etc. ABT has been shown to help people lose more weight and maintain their weight loss for longer than those who participated in standard cognitive-behavioral therapy (SBT).
The National Institute of Health reported that a one-year study of ABT and traditional SBT participants who were aiming for weight loss concluded that “SBT had a shallower trajectory of weight loss followed by an upward deflection. ABT participants were also more likely to maintain a 10% weight loss at 12 months (64.0% vs 48.9%; p=.04). No evidence of moderation was found. Results supported the mediating role of autonomous motivation and psychological acceptance of food-related urges.”
In conclusion, the NIH wrote, “Behavioral weight loss outcomes can be improved by integrating self-regulation skills that are reflected in acceptance-based treatment, i.e., tolerating discomfort and reduction in pleasure, enacting commitment to valued behavior, and being mindfully aware during moments of decision making.”
Abdominal Pacemaker
An Abdominal Pacemaker is now available that promotes weight loss by emitting electrical pulses that block hunger signals. Users eat less and feel fuller for longer periods of time. The abdominal pacemaker is implanted near the connection between the stomach and the esophagus. Research has shown that device users were able to lose over 10% of their body weight over the course of 9 months.
Dan Gladney, CEO of EnteroMedics, the device’s maker says “Some patients report feeling mild heartburn when the device is on, but the settings can be adjusted to minimize any discomfort.”
Other anti-obesity devices, aids and drugs now being tested include a balloon that can be swallowed, an anti-obesity hormone, an injectable workout that mimics the effects of exercise through an injected compound and a no-calorie meal…..in a pill that mimics the effects of eating a meal without delivering the accompanying calories.
