Penelope Howard, obesity specialist and the founder of the Howard’s Way very low calorie diet (VLCD), has expressed horror and amazement at the findings of a study – reported in The Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1289243/Fat-women-willingly-pile-extra-pounds-NHS-surgery.html#ixzz0rmuyo9O5) – that a third of overweight women would rather gain weight in the hope of undergoing free weight loss surgery on the NHS than diet to slim down. The report also revealed that six in ten women would have a form of cosmetic surgery if it was funded by the Government.
The research, commissioned by Britain’s largest cosmetic treatment review website, found one in ten of the respondents had already requested weight loss surgery from their GP. The website – goodsurgeonguide.co.uk – surveyed 1,216 women across the UK to discover if they would consider undergoing NHS funded surgery to improve certain aspects their body and appearance.
Christiana Clogg, founder of goodsurgeonguide.co.uk, is quoted as saying: “This research honestly shocked me. I understand that weight loss surgery may seem the easier option but it would mean putting your body under unnecessary stress.”
Echoing Christiana’s sentiments, Penelope Howard commented: “Opting to put on weight in the hope of having surgery is, at best, misguided and, at worst, dangerous.
“Moreover, I have known of cases where the patients who, having undergone obesity surgery – with all that this involves – have had to exist on pureed food (food replacement) and take their nutrients in additive form for the rest of their life. By contrast, Howard’s Way patients receive all their nutrients in the Howard’s Way food replacement formula throughout their weight loss period and then re-enter the real world and live on ‘regular’ food the rest of their life!
“We have actually had patients who, having had obesity surgery, ask if they can come on our diet,” she added.
“Since 1997, Howard’s Way has been doing something practical to stem the rising tide of obesity among adults in the UK – helping more than 2,000 people to lose more then three stones in weight each. It recently invested in its fourth Weight Loss Centre, which is capable of helping a further 65 patients a year lose several stones in weight through the ‘total food replacement’ (TFR) treatment of the Howard’s Way VLCD programme.
“With obesity in the UK projected to grow by some 10% every decade for the foreseeable future, our aim is to teach our patients about nutritional values of food; how to see past misleading advertising on food; how their bodies use different foods, and which foods – such as white sugar – are likely to have an addictive quality about them,” said Penelope. “Secondly, we want to keep them nutritionally supported and healthy while they shed their excess weight at the rate of 14 to 21 pounds every four weeks while they are on the programme.”
According to Penelope, the Howard’s Way VLCD:
- helps patients lose all the weight they want to lose
- keeps them fit and healthy while they do so
- re-educates them on the properties; values and dangers of foods for their future weight management
- offers free support and guidance for life
End
About Howard’s Way VLCD
Penelope Howard had been researching into very low calorie diets (VLCDs) and weight loss since 1992 and worked with obese patients and a VLCD for some five years before she founded Howard’s Way in 1998.
Those enrolling on the Howard’s Way VLCD initially agree to an 18 week programme involving regular meetings twice weekly for the first four weeks, then once a week from there on. For the ‘Distance Dieter’ these meetings are replaced with one-to-one ‘support calls’ every week. In addition, Howard’s Way staff try to speak to those beginning the diet for at least five minutes a day to provide vital ‘moral’ support.
Howard’s Way recognises that the hardest struggle is maintaining lost weight. So, while dieting, all patients are talked through weekly handouts to gain knowledge and understanding on the workings of their body and the effects of eating certain foodstuffs. Additionally, Howard’s Way Maintenance support is ‘free of charge for life’ for all our dieters.
Typically, most patients lose at least three stones (20 kilos) in weight, men often much more, in the first 12 weeks of the diet. Those who choose to carry on with the diet continue to lose about a stone (6.5 kilos) every four weeks.
The Howard’s Way VLCD comprises specially formulated foods, in the form of: milk shakes; soups; and fruit bars; containing the full complement of vitamins, minerals, protein and essential fatty acids that an adult requires but restricting the calorific intake, to induce a state of ‘mild dietary ketosis’ after day three of the diet.
Further information from:
Penelope Howard: + 44 (0)1923 773851 / penny@croxley.demon.co.uk
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR: +44 (0)1727 860405 / bob.little@boblittlepr.com