New FDA-approved weight loss device shows promise

Obesity is a disease that currently affects our population in epidemic proportions, and which has a profound effect on health and quality of life. As a physician dedicated to the prevention and treatment of the medical complications of excess weight, I frequently see patients whose efforts at restricting calories and increasing physical activity are not resulting in sustained weight loss. When that’s the case, particularly if the excess weight is causing health issues, we can consider adding other treatment tools, which include weight loss medications, or weight loss surgeries. And while these options have increased dramatically over the last one to two decades, we still desperately need more treatments, as neither medications nor surgery are accessible or appropriate for every individual affected by obesity. What is Plenity? Gelesis100 (Plenity), just approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April and expected to come on the market later this year, is an exciting recent innovation in weight management. Although Plenity comes in capsule form, it is actually a weight loss device, not a medication. The capsules are filled with hydrogel particles. When taken with a full glass of water before meals, the particles expand in the stomach and take up space, leading to the sensation of fullness. The gel particles eventually move through the intestinal tract, and are broken down by enzymes and excreted. In the pivotal randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Health Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs