Calgary Herald, 27th January 2009

It might not be that obvious, but losing weight for men is different than for women. In the society, there are about 16% more obese men than ladies. Obesity causes hundreds of premature deaths all over the world.

Boys are encouraged to eat as they grow up. They do not have obesity-related problems at this stage, as they spend lots of time on the field playing football, riding a bike or doing other activities. Their metabolism at this age is much quicker than the one they have got when they are older.

It all changes once they get older and start spending long hours in the office. They do very little sports or do not do any physical activity at all. If they join a gym, a few weeks are enough to get a flat stomach and impressive muscles. This gives men the impression they do not have to worry as they can get back to shape quickly. Women, on the other hand, in order to stay in shape, need more time and energy.

The reality is though, the metabolism gets slower and testosterone low. Men do not realise that until they reach their 40s.

The weight-loss industry is very much concentrated on women. The weight-loss programs, such as Weight Watchers and the Jenny Craigs, are addressed to the ladies. And they do not highlight the differences in the weight-loss between men and women.

Firstly, it is difficult for a man to admit he needs to lose weight as he is not vain or prepared to share his feelings. Ladies just join a group, talk about their problems and seek a solution. Also counting calories is not very masculine.

Another thing is that the pressure in the society to stay slim is much bigger for women than for men. It is far more acceptable to see a man eating a calorie-bomb than to see a lady doing the same.

Weight-loss requires lots of motivation as well as diet-change and physical activity. It is more challenging for men as, in general, they are less nutritionally aware.

“They get fed by their moms, and they get fed by their wives,” says Harvey Brooker, the male nutritional guru. “And they don’t much think about what’s being put on their plates.”

Men do not often think about the consequences of being obese. And the consequences are serious, starting from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Women are genetically predisposed to store more fat in their hips and tights as reserves for pregnancy and breastfeeding. There is, obviously, no need for men to store this fat. The fat men store, are kept around their waist which affects organs like heart and lungs.

Changing a life-style is beneficial for both, men and women. Ladies have got, though, a slightly more difficult task. Not only they should take care of themselves, but also encourage their men to live a healthy life full of good diet and physical activity.

guardian.co.uk, 21th January 2009

Rimonabant is a weight-loss drug that has just been approved by NHS. The medicine can help to lose some weight if used with a low-calorie diet and exercising.

The tablet works by stopping the feeling of hunger. It is only available on prescription. Unfortunately, there are the side affects of Rimonabant such as depression and anxiety. The drug can affect people’s moods leading even to suicidal thoughts.

The medicine has not been approved in the USA. It has, however, been approved in Europe as the European Medicines Agency is of the opinion that benefits are greater than the risks. The Agency explains that if a patient is not depressed when he/she starts taking the drug, there is no need to worry.

The tablet is available in many European countries. In the UK it has been on the market from 2006 but it has just got official approval by NHS.

The Rimonabant does not work without a low-calorie diet and physical exercise. It works by blocking chemicals in the brain that cause cravings. During the researches, patients lost an average 10 pounds in a year. Other advantages included improved cholesterol and blood pressure.

Unfortunately, after stopping taking the tablet, patients tended to regain the weight.

Rimonabant is not suitable for everyone. NHS points out who can use it:

~ Patients who tried Orlistat and Sibutramine but have not achieved the right results.
~ Patients with BMI (body mass index) of 30 or more.
~ Patients whose health issues are caused by their obesity. Those problems include high cholesterol and diabetes.

Overweight or obese patients who have not lost at least 5% of their bodyweight after taking Rimonabant for six months, should stop taking the tablet. Also those who gained their weight back should stop the treatment. Any treatment should not last longer than two years. After that time a careful check-up is needed as well as a meeting with a doctor about benefits and risks of taking Rimonabant for a long period of time.

Patients who have depression or those who take antidepressant medicines, should not take Rimonabant. It is also not suitable for under 18s.

Researches show that 1 person in 10 had mood problems while taking the tablet. They included nervousness, irritation and depression. 1 in 100 patients thought about suicide.

Overweight and obese patients should try to lose weight by changing diet and exercising. They should seek professional advice from a doctor. Diet pills may be helpful for some patients only. They have side effects and in order to give results, patients need to exercise and keep a diet.

Another option for an effective weight-loss is a weight-loss surgery. This alternative should also be discussed with a doctor who will present different possibilities and suggest the best one depending on the patient’s needs.

Gant Daily, 10th January 2009

Talking about weight issues just after Christmas holiday may not be comfortable but the fact is two thirds of our population is overweight and about 5% is obese. It is now a world epidemic.

Most people make New Year’s resolutions but not everyone is able to solve the problem. Losing weight is not easy and maintaining it is even more difficult.

How to find out who is overweight and who is obese? A severely obese person weights 100 pounds above his/her ideal weight. It is more accurate to calculate BMI (body mass index). It takes into account weight as well as height. A normal BMI is between 20 and 25. A BMI between 25 and 30 means excess weight. If it’s between 30 and 35, if qualifies as obese, if it’s over 35, it’s clinically severely obese if there are obesity-related health problems. If there are not health issues but the BMI is 40 or more, it is also considered as clinically severely obese.

Obese patients are not left alone with their problems. If they fail to loose weight, they can turn to weight-loss surgery. The most common procedures are gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band. There are also other possibilities that can be discussed with a doctor depending on the patient’s needs.

One of the new possibilities of weight loss is vertical sleeve gastrectomy. This procedure combines elements of gastric bypass and gastric band. In vertical sleeve gastrectomy the stomach is shaped into a long narrow tube. This allows control how much the patient can eat at a given time. A part of the stomach is removed so the patient feels fuller for longer, even after having eaten a small amount of food.

The new method can be performed with small incisions and minimal pain. Patients are up and about the day after the operation. It is said to be very effective in weight-loss as well as improving health problems related with obesity.