Search Results for: reducing weight

Oral HCG weigh- loss products have invaded the consumer market as a more convenient alternative to receiving HCG injections. HCG, which stands for human chorionic gonadotrophin, is a hormone derived from the urine of pregnant women. The use of HCG as a weight loss aid — which became the rage in the 1950s — has long since been discredited, says Dietscam.org, a service of the National Council Against Health Fraud.

Weight-loss surgery for children remains a controversial medical option. Even though the growing rates of youth obesity are well documented, many health professionals contend that going under the knife is not an effective means for children to deal with their weight issues. No one knows exactly how many adolescents are turning to surgery to get thinner. As reported by Laura Beil in the New York Times (2010), one of the few studies, published in March 2007 in the “Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine” noted that bariatric surgery in teenagers is relatively rare but rising fast: the number of operations tripled from 2000 to 2003 when 800 surgeries were performed.

If your teen is overweight, it’s important for him to shed the pounds to avoid a lifetime of higher health risks. Fad diets are tempting because they promise a quick fix, but they often don’t work in the long run. The best way for your teen to lose weight is to stick to tried and true healthy methods.