In 2008, the estimated annual medical costs for obesity in the US was $147 billion. Losing weight can be very difficult, with time-crunched schedules not allowing people the time to shop for and prepare healthy meals or engage in regular exercise. Medical approaches to weight loss vary from weight loss drugs like Xenical to gastric bypass surgery. In Europe, there is now a new medical approach: the Obalon balloon.
What Is Obalon?
Obalon is a capsule about the size of a large multi-vitamin pill with a thin tube attached. When the capsule is swallowed, the coating disintegrates to leave the uninflated balloon, which a doctor inflates with nitrogen gas through the removable tube. Obalon is recommended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or above who have not lost weight through diet and exercise.
Once in place, the balloon floats at the top of the stomach, taking up room, making the person feel satisfied with less food. Up to three balloons can be swallowed over a 12-week period depending on the patient’s progress and goals. Twelve weeks after the first balloon is swallowed, the balloons are removed with an endoscope. Though swallowing and inflating the balloon does not require sedation, removal may require light sedation.
Scientific Evidence of Effectiveness
Obalon is currently available in Austria, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and Italy, and the manufacturer claims patients can lose up to 20 pounds over three months. Clinical studies were done in 119 obese patients. About half only used one balloon, with half receiving a second balloon, and six of those receiving a third balloon. One hundred ten patients completed the trial.
Average weight loss was 8 kg (17.6 lbs), or an average excess weight loss of about 50%. Effectiveness is roughly comparable to that of gastric banding and gastric bypass, which result in excess weight loss of 50% to 70%. There is not yet data on the long term effectiveness of Obalon. Gastric banding and gastric bypass have a longer track record for helping people sustain long-term weight loss.
Drawbacks to Obalon
Obalon for weight loss isn’t approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In the UK it is not covered by the National Health Service, but patients can pay around $3,300 to $5,000 to have the treatment. Some weight loss experts are skeptical about Obalon’s effectiveness for long term weight loss. Tim Bean, a fitness expert in the UK, told CBS News, “When they take the balloons out, what happens is the stomach hasn’t shrunk, so you’re left with the same size stomach, or possibly even bigger than there was beforehand.”
In the clinical study, about 10% of patients reported nausea, with just under 7% reporting vomiting. No serious complications were reported, but 7.6% of patients requested early removal of the balloons. Patients should be closely monitored when using Obalon, and possible complications include:
- Balloon deflation, which could result in bowel obstruction
- Reflux and indigestion
- Cramping
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Bloating
- Gastric ulcer
- Injury to stomach or esophagus
Obalon is not suited for people who have problems with their esophagus or stomach, who have type 1 diabetes, or for women who are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. Additionally, the UK medical devices regulator advised that Obalon not be used at elevations higher than 660 meters (2,165 feet), because lower air pressure at higher altitudes could cause over-inflation.
Weight loss procedures like gastric band surgery and gastric bypass surgery are only meant for people with severe obesity (BMI of over 40, or over 35 if the patient has other health conditions). Obalon is recommended for those with a BMI over 27, while people are considered “overweight” but not obese with BMI from 25 to 30.
What’s the Typical Overweight Person to Make of This?
While Obalon is not available in the US, American consumers have other options for medical weight loss treatment. Those with severe weight problems may consider weight loss surgery, while those with less serious weight problems often successfully lose weight with weight loss drugs. Currently, the only weight loss drug approved in the US for long term treatment is Xenical.
Xenical works by reducing the amount of fat absorbed from foods. Patients taking Xenical have to adopt a healthy, low-fat diet in order to avoid unpleasant side effects, but the drug has been used since 1999 and has a long track record for safety and effectiveness. Newer drugs were introduced in 2013, but do not have the long-term track record for safety and effectiveness that Xenical does. eDrugstore.com dispenses Xenical and offers competitive pricing and convenience. eDrugstore.com is also committed to the highest standards of customer service, privacy, and online security.
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