Calgary Herald, 23rd February 2009

People who are desperate to lose weight try a number of solutions in belief they will help. The solution, though, is as simple as tough – they only way to lose weigh is to burn off more calories than you take in.

Unfortunately, according to the Canadian Medical Association, many people are tempted by quick weight-loss programs offering herbal products, cleanses and other drugs promising quick back to shape. Those products promise speeding up metabolism and stopping the appetite, seem like a miraculous solution to the problem.

Medical News Today, 16th February 2009

Not every weight-loss procedure can be covered by insurance. Medicare and Medicaid Services have just clarified only batriatic surgery which cures patients with type 2 diabetes will be covered.

Medicare explains the decision by type 2 diabetes being one of the most common reasons of pre-mature deaths. In this case, weight-loss operation is very often a life-saving procedure. Morbidly obese patients have body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more. Normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25.

“Medicare beneficiaries who are morbidly obese may face tremendous health complications,” said CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera. “Today’s coverage decision assures that beneficiaries who are morbidly obese can access safe, effective weight loss options to help prevent these complications.”

Private Healthcare UK, 7th February 2009

For some patients weight-loss surgery is a life-saving procedure. Not everyone can lose weight by changing diet and exercising. What’s sure, though, all patients who went under the knife, have to change their lifestyle if they want to stay in shape.

The latest studies show that only those patients can enjoy improved lives.

200 patients took part in the research at the Miriam Hospital’s Centres for Behavioural and Preventive Medicine. All patients underwent a weight-loss surgery.

There were two groups of patients: active patients did at least 3 hours of physical activity a week. They were moderate activities such as walking and jogging.

New York Times, 2 February 2009

Women in their menopause usually find it hard to control their weight. In the same time, some of them start having incontinence problems. Obesity and urine leaks appear to be related, as the new reports show.

In the research 338 overweight and obese women with incontinence problems took part. 226 of them went through a weight-loss programme. The programme included exercise, diet and information about healthy lifestyle. After the programme the patients reported half as many leakage episodes as before.

The other group contained 112 overweight women who did not participate in the weight-loss programme. They took part in educational sessions about weight-loss, healthy eating and physical activity.