Check out our Diet Reviews on AOL Health!

weight-loss-surgery-related stories

Surgery Isn't Really Better for Weight loss


Liz Neporent is a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers. She regularly appears on national TV programs and is the president of Wellness 360, a New-York based wellness provider.

Staring down a number on the scale you feel is more aligned with a small pony than your dream dress size can be devastating, especially if you feel you've tried everything under the sun to lose weight. Perhaps that's why bariatric surgery -- a group of procedures that restricts stomach size or intestinal length in order to reduce the amount of food the patient is able to eat -- is more popular than ever.

Now, I am not hating on bariatric surgery. Obviously it has helped many people. But I do hope that those thinking about going under the knife understand that it is not a free pass to continue eating garbage and building up their TV remote muscles. As any reputable surgeon will tell you, making a post-op commitment to a healthier lifestyle is the key to maintaining weight loss over the long haul. The best surgery programs screen out candidates deemed unlikely or unwilling to make the requisite lifestyle changes. Surgeons are smart; they know that a successful patient is their best advertisement.

New implant may help obese lose weight

Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products

A new device to treat obesity has researchers buzzing about the possible implications. The device, known as the VBLOC, is attached to the vagal nerves in the abdomen. These nerves transmit signals of hunger and an empty stomach to the brain. The VBLOC blocks those signals, hopefully helping the person trying to lose weight feel full longer and eat fewer calories.

The VBLOC is seen as a safer alternative to gastric bypass and other weight loss surgeries. These surgeries, though effective, are extremely invasive and involve certain health risks. The VBLOC is less invasive in that there's no cutting of internal organs.

No one is sure yet if it will work, but the VBLOC is in human trials right now. The research team is looking for participants, so if you'd like to be part of their research study, follow the link for an application.

Source

Featured Writers
Bob GreeneReggie Casagrande
Bob Greene
Jonny BowdenJohn GanonJonny Bowden

Tanya ZuckerbrotFadil BerishaTanya Zuckerbrot
Liz Neporent Liz Neporent