Excess weight and obesity increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. However, the risk can be significantly reduced with as little as 5% weight loss and improve quality of life.
There are hundreds of fad-diets and even more pharmacotherapy products, but they fail to directly tackle the problem, usually resulting in weight regain. However, a suitable weight loss alternative to end yo-yoing and enjoy significant weight loss are intragastric balloons (IGB), which have been used since the 1990s, and have been improved over the decades to evolve into wide use in medical clinics and commercial health settings.
Benefits of Intragastric Balloon (IGB) placement
A 12-month study – including 66 patients – by Fuller, N.R. et al., stated the following benefits of IGBs on weight loss and health outcomes for the management and treatment of obesity:
- Significant average weight loss of of 14.4 kg at 6 months
- Continuous improvement in quality of life for the 6 months following the removal of the IGB.
Emotional eating remained suppressed up to month 12.
In conclusion
Intragastric balloons are a safe and effective weight loss alternative for overweight and obese individuals. They help facilitate weight loss by decreasing the amount of empty space in stomach, thus increasing satiety resulting in reduced caloric intake at mealtimes prompting weight loss. In as little as 6 months, an IGB can help overweight and obese individuals lose a significant amount of weight, which reduces the risk of developing comorbidities, improves the quality of life, and creates healthier eating behaviours
Reference
- Fuller, Nicholas R., et al. “An Intragastric Balloon in the Treatment of Obese Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Study.” Obesity Biology and Integrated Physiology, vol. 21, no. 8, Aug. 2013, pp. 1561–1570. Google Scholar, doi:10.1002/oby.20414.
