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World-first weight loss device

Fidgetbrain
Fidgetbrain Posts: 188 Member
in Debate Club
https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago830110.html

“…an intra-oral device fitted by a dental professional to the upper and lower back teeth. It uses magnetic devices with unique custom-manufactured locking bolts. It allows the wearer to open their mouths only about 2mm, restricting them to a liquid diet, but it allows free speech and doesn’t restrict breathing”
“The main barrier for people for successful weight loss is compliance and this helps them establish new habits, allowing them to comply with a low-calorie diet for a period of time. It really kick-starts the process,” Professor Brunton says.
“It is a non-invasive, reversible, economical and attractive alternative to surgical procedures. The fact is, there are no adverse consequences with this device.”

How do we feel about this? It looks like some kind of medieval torture device to me, plus if people lack self control so much so that they need to have their jaw physically restricted, what’s stopping them from just using the emergency opening?

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,841 Member
    Ludicrous. It doesn't help establish new habits, unless you plan to eat a liquid diet long-term.

    Aside from the fact that it's quite easy to eat too many calories even when restricted to a liquid diet. Smoothies can pack quite some calories.

    PS: I hate the word 'kick-start' in the context of weight loss 🙄 no need to kick-start anything to lose weight.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    Oh my golly gosh.

    But then people have their stomachs stapled and that also makes me go "oh my golly gosh".

    I suppose it depends on the person and how they want to manage their path to weight lose, but not for me.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Whaaaaaatttt?

    I'm equally skeptical that a device with an emergency release will be truly effective if someone needs to literally lock their jaw to keep from eating.

    Before I began counting calories, I had a few bouts with a liquid diet. One was forced (jaw wired post-surgery) and I lost twenty pounds, which I promptly regained as soon as the wires were removed. The other times were fad diets and I never lasted. If the only thing keeping me from solid food is an emergency release, I don't think I'd make it more than 48 hours.

  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Whaaaaaatttt?

    I'm equally skeptical that a device with an emergency release will be truly effective if someone needs to literally lock their jaw to keep from eating.

    Before I began counting calories, I had a few bouts with a liquid diet. One was forced (jaw wired post-surgery) and I lost twenty pounds, which I promptly regained as soon as the wires were removed. The other times were fad diets and I never lasted. If the only thing keeping me from solid food is an emergency release, I don't think I'd make it more than 48 hours.

    Same for me - didn't eat solid food for 3.5 months after jaw surgery and the only thing it taught me is texture is a very important (and oft overlooked) component of food.

    Besides, there is nothing except a person's desire to lose the weight that keeps them from just hitting the quick release, scarfing down ALL the food and then re-engaging the device. If a person is really going to lose the weight and keep it off, there is no reason under the sun to employ a device like this.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    This is exactly the opposite of "establish[ing] new habits".
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited June 2021
    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Had a friend who tried everything for weight loss. Had her jaws wired shut. Couldn’t talk clearly. But COULD put an entire cherry pie in the blender with a little juice the first week after having her jaws wired shut.

    yep. I had a six hundred calorie protein shake this evening. Went through a straw just fine. (I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay low on calories after exercising).
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Whaaaaaatttt?

    I'm equally skeptical that a device with an emergency release will be truly effective if someone needs to literally lock their jaw to keep from eating.

    Before I began counting calories, I had a few bouts with a liquid diet. One was forced (jaw wired post-surgery) and I lost twenty pounds, which I promptly regained as soon as the wires were removed. The other times were fad diets and I never lasted. If the only thing keeping me from solid food is an emergency release, I don't think I'd make it more than 48 hours.

    Same for me - didn't eat solid food for 3.5 months after jaw surgery and the only thing it taught me is texture is a very important (and oft overlooked) component of food.

    Besides, there is nothing except a person's desire to lose the weight that keeps them from just hitting the quick release, scarfing down ALL the food and then re-engaging the device. If a person is really going to lose the weight and keep it off, there is no reason under the sun to employ a device like this.

    At some point there has to be a mental/emotional control on over-eating if you're going to lose weight and maintain it. At least with weight loss surgery there is a (usually limited) forced stop on overeating that gives one a chance to work on the habits that led to weight gain in the first place. With this device, you don't even have that.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Had a friend who tried everything for weight loss. Had her jaws wired shut. Couldn’t talk clearly. But COULD put an entire cherry pie in the blender with a little juice the first week after having her jaws wired shut.

    That's impressive. Wish I'd thought of that trick when my jaw was wired shut (I pretty much lived on root beer floats with an occasional Ensure to keep my parents happy).
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So is that contraption going to get put on the network, so you can at least tie it to your activity tracker, and only after you've burned enough calories it'll unlock for eating?

    Ya, I could probably survive a long while on ensures and ice cream shakes. Expense of those things would be the negative to my cheap, I mean thrifty nature.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    I would never date a girl that had this. Sex life would suck.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    I uhhhh.... oh yeah I.... eewww ok I.... What the fruck did I just read... Really? Well.... yup... I officially have nothing..... 🤦‍♂️
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    On second thought, i see a money making scheme here. I'm going to buy a pair of brass knuckles and for $50, I will just break a person's jaw. I could save people millions!
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,254 Member
    You don't even need knuckles for your brass! :wink:
  • ___Soundwave___
    ___Soundwave___ Posts: 1,190 Member
    I would worry about choking somehow while using that...or getting badly out of breath and needing to gasp for air.

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