Weight Loss Surgery News Blog

Link: http://www.robertorizzi.com

Acooeding to a recent study, men who are obese have lower quality sperm than men of healthy weights.

Researchers examined the semen of more than 2,000 men who were having trouble conceiving, comparing semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm activity and proportions of abnormal sperm with the men's body mass index (BMI).

Men with a healthy BMI, in the 20 to 25 range, had higher semen volume and lower proportions of abnormal sperm than men who were overweight or obese.

BMI, a measure of weight in relation to height, is a commonly used marker of obesity.

Researchers believe that obesity may damage sperm by overheating the testicles or producing abnormal hormone levels. Is also possible that some other lifestyle factor, also linked to obesity, is the true cause of the observed effect.

Prior studies have found that obese women are less likely to become pregnant.

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk.

Link: http://www.robertorizzi.com/obesity-surgery.htm

The second annual international medical education course on the advanced minimally invasive technique called NOTES - natural-orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery - was presented by the gastroenterologists and surgeons who helped pioneer the revolutionary technique, which allows for minimally invasive surgical access to internal organs through existing body openings.

The course included presentations about the latest scarless and minimally invasive surgical techniques, which offer benefits for patients including reduced pain and quicker recovery time.

At the recent conference, they discussed other new scarless approaches, including two performed through the patient's mouth. TOGA ( for "transoral gastroplasty" ) is a weight-loss procedure designed to alter the patient's stomach anatomy to give them a feeling of fullness after a small meal. TIF ( transoral incisionless fundoplication ) involves repairing the lower esophageal sphincter in patients with chronic GERD ( gastroesophageal reflux disease ) in order to keep stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus.

Also discussed was the development of natural-orifice approaches for colon and rectal surgery using an advanced endoscope that combines imaging and instrumentation. They also presented on how scarless surgery is being investigated for the treatment of diabetes — done by implanting a flexible sleeve in the small intestine to block the absorption of nutrients. A clinical trial is anticipated for next year. In addition, the surgeons discussed how future operating suites with radiological imaging and high-definition video displays could provide an enhanced picture of the procedure as it happens.

Link: http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Booming-Global-Obesity-Drug-Market.html

Latest research on the obesity market, states that the prevalence of obesity is increasing globally at alarming rates. Obesity drugs market has shown a radical growth in recent times but in contrast, the market for weight loss drugs has failed to match this growth. By 2012, it’s expected that more than two billion people will be overweight and 600 Million will be obese, representing immense opportunities for both the markets.

The future of the obesity drugs market, however, may be booming. This is because the market has high unmet demand, and any drug that manages to provide a high benefit to risk ratio can easily achieve blockbuster status. Moreover, despite some of its recent failures, the obesity drugs pipeline is rich and a large number of drugs are in phase-III and late phase-II trials. If some of these drugs manage to reach the market and posses a strong efficacy and safety profile, they can quickly become billion-dollar blockbusters.

The US is presently the biggest market for weight loss drugs with around 68% of its population either overweight or obese. The US is followed by the UK and other European countries. In future, emerging economies such as China, Russia, India and Brazil are also expected to become a huge market for weight loss products. With China’s obesity and overweight levels touching 665-670 Million in 2015, the country will emerge as the most potential weight loss market.

The report covers:

1. Analyst View
2. The Global Obesity Epidemic
2.1 Defining Obesity
2.2 Prevalence of Obesity
2.3 The Cost of Obesity
2.4 Obesity is Linked to Higher Rates of Chronic Conditions
2.5 Obese Spend Significantly Higher on Healthcare
3. Available Weight-loss Techniques & Products
3.1 Weight-loss Surgery
3.2 Liposuction
3.3 Weight-loss Foods & Drinks
3.4 Diet Centres
3.5 Weight-loss Drugs
4. Obesity Drugs Market
4.1 Market Opportunity Assessment
4.2 Key Weight-loss Drugs
4.2.1 Alli
4.2.1.1 Market Performance
4.2.1.2 Critical Success & Risk Factors
4.2.2 Xenical
4.2.2.1 Market Performance
4.2.2.2 Critical Success & Risk Factors
4.2.3 Acomplia
4.2.3.1 Market Performance
4.2.3.2 Critical Success & Risk Factors
4.2.4 Meridia
4.2.4.1 Market Performance
4.2.4.2 Critical Success & Risk Factors
4.3 Weight-loss Drugs under Clinical Trials
5. Obesity in Developed Markets - A Brief Profile
5.1 US
5.2 Japan
5.3 Germany
5.4 UK
5.5 France
5.6 Italy
5.7 Spain
6. Obesity in Emerging Markets - A Brief Profile
6.1 Russia
6.2 India
6.3 Brazil
6.4 China
7. Critical Success Factors
7.1 Expanding Waistlines
7.2 High Unmet Needs
7.3 Self-Consciousness & Fulfillment
7.4 Strong Pipeline
8. Critical Risk Factors
8.1 High Failure Rate
8.2 High Consumer Demand
8.3 Reimbursement Issues
8.4 Side Effects
9. Key Company Profiles
9.1 Abbott Laboratories
9.2 Roche Holding Ltd
9.3 Sanofi-Aventis
9.4 GlaxoSmithKline plc
9.5 Pfizer Inc.

The rate of new diabetes cases nearly doubled in the United States in the past 10 years.

The highest rates were in the South, according to the first state-by-state review of new diagnoses. The lowest was in Minnesota (5 in 1,000) and the highest on West Virginia (with 13 in 1,000 adults. An estimated one in four diabetics have not been diagnosed, the findings probably underestimate the problem.

The nation's obesity epidemic is exacting a heavy toll. Roughly 90 percent of cases are Type 2 diabetes, the form linked to obesity.

Diabetes was the nation's seventh-leading cause of death in 2006, according to the CDC. More than 23 million Americans have diabetes, and the number is rapidly growing. About 1.6 million new cases were diagnosed among adults last year. Type 2 diabetics do not produce or use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar into energy. The illness can cause sugar to build up in the body, leading to complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and poor circulation that leads to foot amputations.

In a recent CNN report some current facts on diabetes in USA were published.

- Nearly 24 million Americans, 8 percent of the population, have Type 2 diabetes

- Americans with diabetes nearly doubled their spending on drugs for the disease in just six years, with the bill last year climbing to an eye-popping $12.5 billion

- Diabetes drug spending rose from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007, a period when costs dropped for metformin.

- More patients with diabetes were seeing doctors, increasing from 14 million patients in 2000 to 19 million in 2007.

- Type 2 diabetes can lead to kidney failure, blindness and heart disease.

- Current guidelines say doctors should prescribe metformin (about $30 a month) to lower blood sugar in newly diagnosed patients and urge them to eat healthy food and get more exercise.

- The updated guidelines don't include Avandia, which costs about $225 a month.