1-800-GET-THIN Agrees With Report Calling for Better Eating Habits

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of Americans who are obese will increase to 164 million, or half of the entire population in less than twenty years, a recent study says. 1 800 GET THIN associates with professionals that provide services specifically designed for individuals suffering from obesity and associated diseases resulting from obesity. Our goal, as well as the goal of the centers and professionals we work with, is to attain a healthier and happier life for these individuals.

Many scientific studies have shown that most obese patients are unable to lose weight and keep the weight off with diet and exercise alone. For those patients, the Lap-Band procedure can be a very good option.

According a recent report in the British Medical Journal The Lancet, obesity will affect half the adults in the United States by the year 2030 unless the government takes steps to reverse the trend. Recommended actions include making healthful foods cheaper and less-healthful foods more expensive, primarily through taxes imposed on less-healthy foods and snacks, according to the report. Changes in the way foods are marketed would also be called for, among other measures.

Adding to the urgency, another study suggests the Golden State could be losing its battle with obesity. California is still among U.S. leaders in fighting obesity, according to an annual report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which shows California is ranked 40th in obesity rates. But despite the state's respectable showing, this still means that close to a quarter of the population is currently obese.

According to the United States Surgeon General, obesity kills hundreds of thousands of Americans yearly and is the second cause of preventable death in the United States.  The Lap-Band procedure is an FDA approved surgical procedure performed with the use of general anesthesia where a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. Hundreds of thousands of obese patients have successfully lost weight and kept it off long-term with the Lap-Band. Studies have shown increased life span after weight loss surgery. It is solely a patient's decision to proceed with surgery having weighed these risks and benefits after full informed consent and discussion with their respective doctors.

1-800-GET-THIN has helped thousands of people to take the first steps to a new, healthier life. For information on weight loss, lifestyle changes and the Lap-Band, call 1-800-GET-THIN or visit www.1800getthin.com . All individuals should consult their physician prior to any weight loss program. Studies indicate that individuals can achieve 30-50% excess weight loss at 3 years.

SOURCE 1-800-GET-THIN