How to Lose Weight? Latest Weight Loss Method Involves Inflating a Balloon Inside the Stomach
Scientists have created a balloon that can be swallowed to help millions of obese people all over the world lose weight. The hi-tech gastric balloon was developed by researchers at the Sapienza University of Rome and presented this week at the European Congress on Obesity in Portugal.
Called Elipse, the balloon is swallowed in the form of a pill and inflates inside the stomach, making the subject feel full. The balloon deflates itself after four months and is excreted out of the body naturally. What makes it unique is that it is the first non-surgical plastic gastric balloon.
Developers presented the 42 patients who underwent clinical trials who had an average weight of 108 kilograms at the start of the experiment. Four months after, their weight dropped by about 15 kilograms or nearly a third of their excess weight. Improvements were also observed on the subjects' overall metabolic health including blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar control.
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Doctors are inspired by Elipse's prospects of lowering the cost of curing obesity. More than 6,400 patients undergo weight-loss surgery every year in England, mostly involving gastric bypass costing £8,000 or $10,320. On the other hand, the gastric balloon costs almost $3,000 to nearly $4,500 only.
Moreover, the procedure is very easy as patients need only to pop a pill and they're good to go. Being non-invasive, the procedure doesn't require endoscopy, anesthesia and surgery, resulting in significant savings in time and cost. Even the removal of the balloon won't need an operation.
But study leader Dr. Roberta Ienca cautioned that a permanent cure for obesity will depend on the patient's behavior afterward, adding that discipline in eating and exercise is still required. "The balloon itself represents only a part of the treatment," she said. "We aim to change the mindset of the patient," the study leader added.
