New weight loss procedure performed in Malta

Saint James Hospital has announced the first implantation of a gastric band in Malta, during an operation performed at St James Hospital on 5 October.

This procedure is the latest surgical treatment to help morbidly obese patients achieve sustained weight loss, resulting in reduced mortality and an improved quality of life.

Obesity, defined as a disease of excess fat storage sufficient to harm health, is now recognised as a global public health problem, with an estimated 135 million people in Europe alone classified as obese (six million of these are classified as morbidly obese). It is now the second-highest preventable cause of death, after smoking. Obesity is a complex disorder, not solely caused by over-eating. Genetic, environmental, physiological, and physical factors can all predispose a person to excessive weight gain.

Obesity is classified according to an individual's Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is calculated by dividing a subject's weight (in kg) by the square of their height (in metres). The normal range is a BMI of 18.5 to 25. An individual with a BMI of more than 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI of 40 or more is classified as morbidly obese.

Morbid obesity is associated with a range of debilitating and life threatening disorders (including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis and infertility) which both shorten the life expectancy of the individual and impact upon their quality of life.

Obesity has a negative impact on mobility, productivity, employment and psychosocial functioning, with many obese people left feeling depressed, defensive and unwilling to live life to the full.

Conventional non-surgical treatments for obesity include changes in diet, changes in physical activity, behaviour modification and drug therapy. However, for morbidly obese patients, these treatments are not successful in achieving long-term weight reduction. Weight loss (or bariatric) surgery is the only treatment proven to maintain weight reduction over the long-term.

The implantation of an adjustable gastric band is defined as a restrictive procedure, in which the size of the stomach is restricted, ensuring that the patient feels “full” after eating a small amount of food and for a longer period of time. Thus, the patient’s calorific intake is considerably reduced, and their energy expenditure exceeds their food intake.

Weight Loss Camps

Obesity is slowly becoming an issue that more and more people have to contend with. As people’s lifestyles change due to developments in technology and home entertainment, the temptation of living a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more attractive. A sector that has been adversely affected by this lifestyle are children, who are now spending less time outdoors to play and who choose to stay at home to watch cartoons, play video games and surf the Net. Some of the adverse effects that these children go through include having to face health risks. Child obesity has been proven to lead to various diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which are due to improper nutrition and lack of exercise.

A Possible solution

Apart from enrolling your child in a gym or making him do a certain sport, there is a viable option that you can take, which will provide your child with a weight loss program in a summer camp setting. Weight loss camps were created to specifically help children lose weight in a fun and educational way. This is because in weight loss camps, you can be assured that your child will be provided with the proper nutrition as well as encouraged to participate in activities such as sports that help him become healthier and more aware of health issues. Apart from these, weight loss camps also help children with weight problems build a better self-image and self-esteem so they can better deal with the emotional aspect of having weight problems over the long term. This can also help your child have the discipline to continue the program and live a healthier lifestyle even after he leaves the camp.

One of the best ways to address your child’s obesity is to enroll him in a weight loss camp. This is because these camps offer fun and educational programs that are designed to help your child live a healthier lifestyle. These programs do not only include physical activities but also educational activities that can help your child become healthier and make healthy choices even after camp.

Camp provides detailed information on Camps, Summer Camps, Day Camps, Weight Loss Camps and more.

Hoodia diet pills

Hoodia Gordoni diet pills

Hoodia diet pills are fast growing in popularity as more and more consumers tout their effectiveness. A purely natural herbal medicine that provides fast healthy weight loss and no reported side effects sounds too good to be true but isn’t.

Now, Hoodia Gordoni diet pills are being praised nationwide for their value as well as their safeness, but only if you get the real thing. Many companies are now manufacturing their own versions of "pure" Hoodia diet pills that contain fillers such as cellulose, silica, phosphates, magnesium and stearic acid-, all which definitely proves that they are not natural or pure.

Hoodia diet pills not only help you to lose weight, but to also fight the poisonous enemies that make it hard for you do so.

Of course, Hoodia Gordoni diet pills suppress your appetite, they wouldn’t be considered a weight loss medicine if they didn’t. (In fact, studies have shown that by taking this supplement you can reduce your caloric intake by up to 1,000 calories a day!).Let’s face it though, not everyone eats just when they are hungry.

Hoodia diet pills do not motivate you with stimulants that leave you feeling jittery or nervous; they give your body what it needs to provide energy on its own. Unlike prescription diet users, their no report pills, side affects whatsoever. The natives that have used it for generations consider it a must have "cure-all" for their all-over physical and mental health.

To find out for yourself how good you will feel and look by incorporating this natural wonder into your life, read more about hoodia gordoni diet pills and discover if it is right for you.

Green Tea Weight Loss Supplement

Most weight loss experts agree that weight loss supplements can significantly help you in your battle for curves and muscles. Of the 3 commonly used weight loss supplements in the market these days, green tea weight loss supplement seems the most promising. The other two are protein and ephedra.

It has been discovered that some properties found in green tea makes it a great organic alternative to weight loss supplements.

The use of green tea extract in weigh loss supplements was spurred by the recently concluded study by American and Swiss scientists. The study found that green tea has a lot of antioxidants that can cause an increase in energy expenditure of the body.

Green tea weight loss supplement contain both caffeine and the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). When these 2 substances in green tea react to each other, metabolism rates increase along with the body’s 24-hour energy expenditure. Green tea’s EGCG also triggers the release of the hormone noradrenaline, an appetite-suppressant.

Green tea weight loss supplement can boost the body’s metabolic rates, thereby increasing the rate by which fat and calories are burned. It can also stimulate the body into burning fats faster, leading to more fats being turned into energy. According to a study, people who take in green tea weight loss supplement lose about two-and-a-half pounds a month.

Green tea weight loss supplements come in standardized tablets or capsule forms. For best results, select a green tea weight loss supplement that contains 90 milligrams of EGCG and 50 milligrams of caffeine. It is usually taken 3 times a day before meals.

Although green tea weight loss supplement has no harmful side-effects, you should consult your doctor before taking it.

A lot of people eat foods that are generally deficient in the vitamins and minerals. Visit Nutritional Supplements Center to learn why it is vital that you take nutritional health supplements. You will also discover best nutritional supplements.

Skip the whole milk. Pass on soda. Drink beer?

Nutrition experts stir controversy with new beverage guidelines

Some prominent nutrition experts put out new guidelines Wednesday urging Americans to cut back on calorie-rich sodas while allowing more leeway for alcohol and lots of room for tea and coffee -- up to 40 ounces a day.

That's more than three tall cups at Starbucks, although that might bust suggested limits on caffeine.

They also allow men three times as much beer as sugary soda.
The report was paid for by the corporate parent of Lipton Tea, which is now using the scientists' advice to advertise tea's benefits.

The nutritionists say they didn't know the extent of Lipton's marketing campaign, and the company didn't play a role in the recommendations, which generally urge people to drink more water.

But beverage industry spokesmen and other nutritionists found fault with several of the guidelines. For example, whole milk is out, but moderate alcohol is OK.
In fact, the scientists say men can drink as much as 24 ounces of beer a day -- more than the 16 ounces of low-fat milk or soy drinks they suggest, and three times their recommended limit for fruit juice.

The beverage industry also seized on the accompanying marketing campaign by Lipton, a part of Unilever Health Institute, which gave about $40,000 to finance the report. The company plans full-page ads in USA Today featuring the guidelines with a coupon for $2 off tea.

Among the scientists who wrote the guidelines is Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and a widely quoted expert on numerous nutritional topics. He said he was unaware of the details of the marketing effort and wished it had not included such blatant promotion.

"This was sort of a new experience," he said of working with a private sponsor, whose $4,000 share of the fees he turned over to charity. Willett said the company had no role in what the scientists recommended.
For complete story

Weight loss goals in obesity

Theoretically, the goal of obesity treatment is to reduce body weight to normal. However, unsatisfactory results have prompted a change in the final outcome from large weight loss to moderate weight loss and control of obesity related risk factors, that is, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes. Studies have shown that the morbidity related to these risk factors is significantly decreased by a 5% to 10% weight reduction, even if patients remain in the obesity range.

When goals are not reached or the progress toward them is unsatisfactory, people have impaired performance and often tend to abandon their attempt to achieve the unreachable goals. To improve the understanding of the weight loss expectations of obese subjects and of the factors that influence them, some Italian researchers analyzed the data of a large observational study that was recently established in Italy for a comprehensive measurement of health-related quality of life, psychological distress, and eating behavior in obese patients.

A total of 1891 obese patients seeking treatment in 25 Italian medical centers were included in this study. Diet and weight history, weight loss expectations and primary motivation for seeking treatment (health or improved appearance) were recorded via a detailed case report and a set of questionnaires. Psychiatric distress, binge eating, and body image dissatisfaction were tested by self-administered questionnaires (Symptom CheckList-90, Binge Eating Scale and Body Uneasiness Test).

In 1011 cases, the one-year expected BMI loss was > 9kg/[m.sup.2], dream BMI was 26 and maximum acceptable BMI was 29.3. The expected one-year BMI loss was significantly related to the maximum BMI loss during previous attempts. Age was also a strong predictor of weight goals. Psychiatric distress, body dissatisfaction and binge eating did not predict weight loss expectations. The primary motivation for weight loss was concern for future (33.4%) or present health (>50%), and only 15.2% wanted to improve appearance. Women seeking treatment to improve appearance had a lower grade of obesity, were younger and had first attempted weight loss at a younger age.

This study confirms a large disparity between physicians' recommendations and patients' expectations of outcomes in the treatment of obesity, a disparity that might account for the high dropout rate in weight loss. Obese Italian patients had unrealistic weight loss expectations. Some limitations of this study were the findings were restricted to obese subjects seeking treatment in a medical setting and therefore, do not provide information on the large number of obese subjects who do not seek treatment or who seek help in non-medical settings. Future research should evaluate how weight loss expectations may vary across different settings and how unrealistic weight loss expectations may be changed to achievable ones.