The Lap-Band diet is an excellent weight-loss diet–even without the Lap-Band

A surprise inside

The FDA–what a bunch of sweethearts!

This past February, right around Valentine’s Day, FDA officials expanded the use of the Lap-Band–the device that’s implanted around the opening to the stomach to restrict food intake.

And this was exactly the Valentine that Allergan executives were hoping for.

Allergan is the company that makes the Lap-Band. And the FDA decision more than DOUBLES the number of people whose insurance will now cover most of the cost of lap-banding.

Ka-ching! Hearts and flowers!

But anyone who hopes to come out of Lap-Band surgery automatically shedding pounds will be sadly dismayed. Their days of strict commitment to dieting and exercise have just begun.

Excellent advice

According to Lap-Band advocates, this treatment is a “cure” for obesity, as well as other conditions linked with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes.

In fact, lap-banding is seen as such a promising solution that some borderline-obese patients have actually gained additional weight on purpose in order to qualify for Lap- Band insurance coverage.

That may seem extreme, but these are people who say they’ve tried everything to lose weight and nothing has worked. So they’re ready for surgery.

And now they’re much more likely to get it.

The FDA’s original 2001 lab-band approval was for severely obese patients only. The new approval includes borderline-obese patients who have at least one associated condition such as heart disease or diabetes.

Under the 2001 approval, about 18 million people were eligible. According to Allergan, an additional 26 million will now be covered.

That’s a boatload of Lap-Bands!

But I wonder how many of those borderline-obese patients are aware that this procedure is not a magic bullet. In fact, it’s far from it.

On the website for the University of California San Diego Center for the Treatment of Obesity, Lap-Band guidelines include a bariatric surgery diet that’s described as “critical to your recovery and weight loss success.”

The guidelines include:

• Avoid “high calorie foods/drinks”
• “Eat only three small meals a day”
• “Do not eat between meals”
• “Eat only good quality foods–no junk!”
• “Drink only low-calorie liquids”
• “Exercise at least 30 minutes a day”

Gee, if everyone followed THAT diet for a year, by April 2012 we’d have a thinner and much healthier country–no Lap-Bands required!

And that would be ideal, because a significant number of Lap-Band patients end up having the band removed due to pain, vomiting, or ineffective weight loss.

But that doesn’t discourage some visionaries who see the Lap-Band horizon expanding much further to include lap-bands for type 2 diabetics, even if they’re not obese or overweight.

Yes, that idea is actually getting serious consideration. But while waiting for that day, anyone who’s diabetic, obese, or overweight should put the lap-band out of their mind and try to follow the bariatric surgery diet.

No question–it’s not an easy diet. But it works.

Sources:
“FDA expands use of banding system for weight loss” FDA News Release, 2/16/11, fda.gov
“Obesity Surgery May Become Option for Many More” Andrew Pollack, New York Times, 12/1/10, nytimes.com