Weight Loss In Overweight, Obese Women Reduces Urinary Incontinence

Reducing urinary incontinence can now be added to the extensive list of health benefits of weight loss, according to a clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The paper reporting the results of the trial will be published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Program to Reduce Incontinence by Diet and Exercise (PRIDE), conducted in Birmingham, Alabama, and Providence, Rhode Island, recruited a total of 338 obese and overweight women who leaked urine at least 10 times per week. The women were randomly assigned to either an intensive six-month weight-loss program of diet, exercise and behavior modification or to a group that received information about diet and exercise, but no training to help them change habits.

The investigators report that women in the intensive weight-loss group lost an average 8 percent of their body weight (about 17 pounds) and reduced weekly urinary incontinence episodes by nearly one-half (47 percent). In contrast, women in the information-only group lost an average 1.6 percent of body weight (about 3 pounds) and had 28 percent fewer episodes.

“Clearly, weight loss can have a significant, positive impact on urinary incontinence, a finding that may help motivate weight loss, which has additional health benefits such as preventing type 2 diabetes,” said NIDDK Director Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D.

Urinary incontinence affects more than 13 million women in the United States and accounts for an estimated $20 billion in annual health care costs, according to the paper. Obesity is an established and modifiable risk factor for urinary incontinence, but conclusive evidence for a beneficial effect of weight loss on urinary incontinence has been lacking. The PRIDE trial provides evidence supporting weight loss as a treatment for incontinence.

An important finding of the study is the difference between the two groups in the reduction of incontinence. Among women in the weight-loss group, 41 percent achieved a clinically relevant reduction of at least 70 percent of total incontinence episodes per week, whereas 22 percent of women in the information-only group achieved the same level of reduction.

At six months, women in the weight-loss group were significantly more satisfied with the change in their incontinence than were women in the information-only group. This was assessed through self-reported perceived change in frequency of incontinence, volume of urine loss, the degree to which incontinence was a problem, and satisfaction with the change in incontinence.

“Studies have documented that behavioral interventions help people lose weight, which helps decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, improve control of high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and enhance mood and quality of life,” said Leslee L. Subak, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and lead author of the study. “Our results suggest that a decrease in urinary incontinence is another health benefit associated with weight loss and that weight reduction can be a first-line treatment in overweight and obese women.”

Health Canada Advises Not To Use Soloslim For Weight Loss

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use Soloslim due to concerns about possible side-effects.

Product Description: Soloslim is promoted as an “all natural” product used for weight loss.

Reason for Warning: The Hong Kong Department of Health warned against the use of Soloslim because it was found to contain an undeclared compound similar in structure to sibutramine (N-bisdesmethyl-sibutramine). Sibutramine is a prescription drug used in the treatment of obesity.

Soloslim also contains L-carnitine salt. L-carnitine is a prescription drug used in the treatment of carnitine deficiency, which may occur in patients with some genetic diseases, serious liver or kidney disease or with use of certain medications (e.g. valproate).

Both sibutramine and L-carnitine should only be used under the supervision of a health care professional.

Soloslim also contains synephrine. Weight loss products containing synephrine are not authorized for sale in Canada.

Possible Side-Effects: Use of sibutramine may cause headaches, increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain and stroke.

Side-effects associated with L-carnitine include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and seizures.

Synephrine may cause cardiovascular adverse effects that could lead to stroke, heart attack and/or death.

Two Myths About The 3 Day Diets

We were doing a research about the 3 day diet plan and surprisingly found two myths about the three day diet associated with American Heart Association and the Cleveland Clinic that are not true.

The 3 day diet is not recommended by the American Heart Association

Let’s see what the AHA has to say about the three day diet.

Phony American Heart Association Diet

AHA Recommendation
The public should be aware that there are diets that purport to be from the American Heart Association that are not. The true American Heart Association eating plan gives recommended daily servings from various food categories, not specific foods. It’s a nutritionally adequate eating plan that’s intended for a lifetime of use. It can help healthy people lose excess weight or maintain a proper body weight, but its goal is not quick weight loss. The menus provided in the American Heart Association No-Fad Diet book are also for healthy, sustainable weight loss over time.

Background
A diet supposedly from our organization has been cited several times across the United States and in Australia.

The phony diet describes a three-day menu, supposedly prescribed by the American Heart Association or by the “Heart Association.” It includes vanilla ice cream, hot dogs, eggs and cheddar cheese. The diet promises a 10-pound weight loss in three days.

The bogus diet has also been cited as the Spokane Heart Diet, the Cleveland Clinic Diet and the Miami Heart Institute Diet. The poorly typed and photocopied phony diet has also been offered by mail for $2 per copy.

The phony diet is not from our organization. For years, we have recommended that Americans cut saturated fat and cholesterol by limiting egg yolks, whole-milk dairy products such as ice cream and cheddar cheese, and luncheon meats. From time to time other fad diets emphasizing other foods have been falsely attributed to the American Heart Association.

The Cleveland Clinic Three Day Diet: There is no such thing

Here is the reference from the Cleveland Clinic on the 3 day diet program.

Q: I’ve heard that Cleveland Clinic has a 3-day diet available for weight loss, cleansing, reducing cholesterol and increasing energy. Is this true?

A: Despite a few sites on the World Wide Web, there is no Cleveland Clinic Diet, nor a Cleveland Clinic grapefruit diet. It truly is folklore–started several years ago. We all wish that weight loss and other health benefits could occur with simply making three days worth of dietary change. But severely restricting your calories and including/excluding specific foods from the diet is not the way to long-term, sustained weight loss and health benefits.

The good news is that weight loss, improved heart health and increased vitality can be realized when proper diet and lifestyle changes occur over the long-term. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic supports a healthy heart-minded Mediterranean diet to achieve both a healthy body weight and healthy heart. The traditional Mediterranean dietary practices that we support include eating minimally processed, plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and unsaturated fats like olives, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. In the Mediterranean way of eating, high fatty cuts of meat and dairy are minimized, and omega-3 rich fish is encouraged.

Weight loss success and a healthy heart depend upon a well-balanced diet with a variety of healthy food choices that fits in with your tastes. And don’t forget to monitor your portion sizes and include regular physical activity to help you achieve your goals.

For specific interventions that may help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, you may make an appointment with a Heart and Vascular Institute Preventive Cardiology dietitian, as well as obtain a full preventive evaluation by calling 800.223.2273, ext. 49353 or locally 216.445.9353.

Therefore, please from now on when you read about 3 day diet plans being associated with the Cleveland Clinic and the American Heart Association please know that there is no such thing or recommendation from these respected organizations.

Lannett Announces FDA Marketing Approval for Generic Phentermine

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval to Philadelphia-based Lannett Co. Inc. to market a generic version of Phentermine hydrochloride, a weight-reduction medication.

The FDA has approved its 30-milligram blue/white seed capsules for use as a short-term obesity treatment. It is a generic version of a product made by Novartis AG’s Sandoz unit.

Arthur Bedrosian, president and CEO of Lannett, said that the company intends to launch the new generic product during the current quarter. “Phentermine hydrochloride is an important new addition to the company’s growing offering of obesity management products, a large and underserved market,” Bedrosian said.

Phentermine hydrochloride is an amphetamine that helps suppress appetite and can help consumers lose weight when combined with a comprehensive program that includes diet, exercise, and behavior modification. It is prescribed for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater or for those with a lower BMI (27 or greater), but with the presence of obesity-related risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia.

Phentermine is usually taken as a single daily dose in the morning or three times a day 30 minutes before meals. Most people take the drug for 3-6 weeks, but the length of treatment depends upon the response. Phentermine may cause side effects such as dry mouth, unpleasant taste, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation.

Patients who wish to take phentermine should be aware of the following advice from the National Institutes of Health:

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to phentermine or any other drugs.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), guanethidine, insulin, MAO inhibitors [phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)] even if you stopped taking them within the past 2 weeks, medications for weight loss and depression, paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft),and vitamins.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), diabetes, glaucoma, or a history of drug abuse.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking phentermine, call your doctor.
• You should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
• Remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug.
• If you have diabetes, you may need a larger dose of insulin while taking phentermine. Call your doctor if you have questions or problems.
• When taking phentermine, if you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, restlessness, dizziness, tremor, insomnia, shortness of breath, chest pain, or swelling of the legs and ankles.

Kids Gain More Weight During The Summer Than School Year

Children gain more weight during the summer months than during the school year, a surprise to many parents, but summer camps designed for weight loss help kids and parents make healthier decisions.

As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, many parents struggle desperately to find help. Countless families are wrapping up summer vacations and preparing for back to school shopping and waistlines are bulging. Surprisingly, studies indicate that children gain more weight during the summer months than during the school year1.

“Most people believe that children will lose weight during the summertime because of additional exercise and time spent outdoors,” said Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum, vice president of Clinical Services at Wellspring and professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Medical School. ”However, recent research indicates teens expend less energy during unstructured time like summertime than they do during school days2. Less activity combined with freer access to high fat foods can lead to substantial weight gain.”

Weight loss can be a difficult subject for parents to discuss with children. Many parents do not fully acknowledge that their child may be overweight. Many weight loss experts attribute the lack of exercise and rising rates of obesity to more time spent on the Internet, playing video games and watching TV.

“Parents can play key roles in mitigating this potential obesogenic summertime situation,” said Dr. Kirschenbaum. “For example, they can limit the type of foods available in the house and make more meals at home. Parents can also model activity whenever possible including simple steps such as parking farther away, taking stairs not escalators, or going on active vacations.”

In other words, parents can decrease weight gain of their vulnerable teens if they make summertime more similar to the school year in structure and function. They can also add structure to their children’s summers by having their child get a summer job or by enrolling the child in specialty programs that have proven track records of success.

Programs are available around the world to educate families about obesity and weight loss. Wellspring programs for weight loss demonstrate among the best outcomes ever reported for weight loss among children and adolescents. Wellspring offers summer camps for kids and parents, as well as other programs, designed to teach key skills required for successful weight loss and long-term weight control.

About Wellspring Weight Loss Programs

Wellspring Academies, Wellspring Camps and Wellspring Community Programs are recognized as the leading weight loss treatment programs for overweight children, teens and young adults. Founded in 2004 as Healthy Living Academies, the organization is now recognized under one name, Wellspring.

Wellspring offers programs for youth and adults, including year-round boarding schools, summer camps, after-school programs and retreats. Wellspring Academies, boarding schools include Wellspring Academy of California and Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas; Wellspring Camps in New York, North Carolina, California, Texas, Wisconsin, Hawaii, United Kingdom and Australia, along with Wellspring Family Camp at Pinehurst Resort; Wellspring Community Programs, after-school programs for weight loss and behavioral change; and Wellspring Retreats for adults.

The Sierras Weight-Loss Solution for Teens and Kids (Avery, 2007) was written by the founders and program leaders of Wellspring. The book offers parents a 12-week proven program based on the school’s curriculum focusing on healthy eating and making exercise a priority.

To learn more about Wellspring weight loss programs, visit http://www.wellspringweightloss.com or call 866-364-0808. Wellspring is a division of CRC Health.

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