Achieving Slimness: Weighing the Consequences

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#6 Achieving Slimness: Weighing the Consequences

Would you buy any of the following?

The Fat-Be-Gone ring: This is sold on the Web by American Design, a St. Louis jewelry maker, and in retail chains like Walgreens. Advertising for it claims that it taps into the principles of acupuncture and acupressure and that the effect of wearing it is like jogging six miles a day. Wear it on the little finger to slim the thighs; on the ring finger to slim the stomach; on the thumb to slim the face, etc. All this with "no drugs, no starving and no sweating." Aoqili Defat Seaweed Soap. Use it in the shower and watch the fat go down the drain. Plastic earplugs that curb the appetite -who knows how these work? Miracle pills that get rid of excess weight without dieting or exercise.

Most of those sound ridiculous, right? Even the people who buy them are dubious. Lynn McAfee, director of the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, an advocacy group for overweight people has a Fat-Be-Gone ring and so do at least four of her friends. She says "In the back of my mind, I say, 'well, maybe it will work.'" Obviously she's not sold, but... Mrs. April Mankowsky who bought the soap says, "I'm a fool. I knew it wasn't going to work. But I'm desperate, and the ad said, 'Watch the fat go down the drain.'"

The key point is Mrs. Mankowsky's comment that she's desperate. That's true of a lot of Americans. Over half of the U.S. population is overweight and most of them are obese which means that they weigh-in at least 20% more than the maximum weight for their frame. Unfortunately, they're in a culture that worships youth -slim, good-looking, fit youth. Models are considered too fat if they are more than a size 6. That in a country where the average (average, mind you) woman is a size 14. If a model such as Carre Otis becomes a size 12, she is considered a "plus size" even though she's still smaller than the average woman. Amazing!

Doctors today think that obesity might be caused by genetics and that the best way to deal with weight problems is to exercise three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes and to eat a sensible diet. While that is probably also the cheapest approach to weight loss, U.S. citizens seem intent on finding the magic pill, potion, contraption, or plan that will enable them to lose weight without giving up French fries and without having to walk, jog, jump, or run. The result is an industry of over $10 billion dollars with consumers who will try almost anything.

There are many ways to lose weight and here's a description of eight popular means.

1. Commercial weieht-loss centers. Examples are Diet Center, Jenny Craig, Nutri/System and Weight Watchers. In 1995,7.6 million Americans spent over $1.78 billion at these establishments. They all charge an enrollment fee and on-going fees on top of that. You must weigh in each week, pay for coaching from counselors and some require that you purchase low-calorie meals from the company. In a year, you can easily spend well over $1,000 on these plans.

The major problem with this approach besides the cost is that the weight comes back, and you usually have to pay another enrollment fee when you start the plan again.

2. NonDrofit SUDDort GrouDs. The biggest is Overeaters Anonymous which is like many other twelve step programs. You meet once a week with others who are trying to control their eating. Costs are negligible, as contributions at most meetings are voluntary. These programs can be effective in helping people identify emotional triggers for overeating, but they do not provide a regimented diet or plan which many people need.

3. Over-the-counter Diet Pills. Drugstores and supermarkets sell dozens of these products, of which perhaps the best known are Acutrim and Dexatrim. They work in part by stimulating your metabolism, but there's no scientific proof that they provide more than temporary weight loss. But Americans spend over $100 million on them every year anyway. The active ingredient in these pills is phenylpropanolamine (PP A), which has been associated with elevated blood pressure, seizures, and strokes. (More on this later.)

4. Meal-reDlacement Shakes. Nearly eight million dieters consume low-calorie shakes in place of real meals to help lose weight. Shakes are sold in grocery stores (the well-known Slim-Fast) or through network marketers such as Herbalife, Nu Skin and Shaklee. While these might help in the short run, they don't provide a long-run weight control method and the cost of these can be quite high -especially the network marketer products.

5. Custom-made Weieht-loss Plans. While quite expensive, this method can be the most effective. First, you ask your physician to create a weight-loss program tailored for you. It should include an exercise plan, behavior modification, support groups and menu planning. You will have to pay for a physical exam and lab tests initially plus continuing monthly charges for visits to nutritionists. A University of Pennsylvania study found that very obese patients (at least 85% over their ideal weight) dropped an average of24 pounds if they followed the program for six months and were less likely to gain that weight back.

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6. Prescription Drugs. These are the products that have created the most "excitement" in the last few years about weight loss products. Prescriptions for pills such as Redux and the weight loss cocktail fen/phen spread throughout the population like wildfire.

Unfortunately, these drugs are most likely to have serious side effects such as pulmonary hypertension, heart valve problems, and seizures and former users have successfully sued the companies selling the products.

7. Medicallv SuDervised LiQuid Diets. If you have a body mass index of 30 or more and aren't overly attached to solid food, you could consider a very-low-calorie liquid diet such ...

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