Boston Scientific Corporation has announced data from a recent national survey of 2,000 U.S. women between the ages of 30 and 65, which examined women’s motivations, frustrations and approaches related to weight loss.
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The release of the data coincides with the launch of Boston Scientific’s Endura Weight Loss Solutions, a new category name for a range of minimally invasive weight loss procedures.
In the U.S., more than 40% of adults are living with obesity, and a new study revealed that while most women surveyed (74%) considered weight loss important to their overall personal health, losing weight can be a challenge. Of the women surveyed who had tried to lose weight, their average number of weight loss attempts was seven, but they did not meet their weight loss goals six out of those seven times. Approximately 41% of the women said they were not happy with their current weight and, of those, more than half (54%) are searching for new weight loss methods.
“At Boston Scientific, we’re advancing science in ways that make a real difference in people’s health,” said Brian Dunkin, M.D., FACS chief medical officer, Endoscopy, Boston Scientific. “Losing weight is personal – no single method is going to work for everyone. By introducing Endura Weight Loss Solutions we’re meeting people where they are. It’s a new name for a different kind of approach – one that is clinically supported and minimally invasive for those who may not want to undergo surgery or take weight loss medications long-term.”
Data from the survey showed significant interest in weight loss topics with 40% of respondents sharing that they think about weight loss daily.
- The biggest motivations for wanting to lose weight are appearance and physical health, but mental health also plays a role: When given multiple options to select, respondents cited appearance (65%), physical health (63%), personal satisfaction (59%) and self-esteem (59%) as their biggest motivations for wanting to lose weight. 43% of women said their weight has decreased their self-confidence, while 22% said it has increased their self-confidence.
- Weight loss methods vary, but dieting is most popular: Respondents who had attempted to lose weight shared that they have tried a number of weight loss methods, including a healthier diet (78%), weight loss supplements (41%), weight loss beverages (39%), fad diets (31%), weight loss medications like GLP-1 drugs (14%), bariatric surgery (5%) and endoscopic procedures (2%).
- Many women are not aware of endoscopic procedures for weight loss: Nearly half (47%) of respondents who had tried to lose weight before said they were unaware of endoscopic procedures for weight loss, but a third (33%) said they would consider an endoscopic procedure for weight loss.
Endura Weight Loss Solutions from Boston Scientific represents a range of weight loss procedures, including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, or ESG, and endoscopic intragastric balloon placement using the Orbera Intragastric Balloon System. Both procedures do not involve any external incisions or scars and are designed to reduce the amount of space in the stomach, allowing patients to eat less, feel full faster and stay full longer.
- In an ESG procedure, an endoscope with a specialised sewing device called the OverStitch Endoscopic Suturing System mounted to the tip is passed through the mouth of a patient under anaesthesia and guided into the stomach. The stomach is then sewn from the inside to reduce its capacity by 70 to 80%, helping patients feel full and stay full longer with smaller portions of food.
- During placement of the Orbera balloon, performed under anaesthesia, a deflated balloon is passed through the mouth and positioned in the stomach. Once in place, it is filled with sterile saline to approximately the size of a grapefruit, taking up space so patients feel full sooner and stay full longer. After six months, it’s removed in a similar, simple procedure.
In a clinical study, people who received an ESG procedure typically went home the same day as the procedure and returned to routine daily activities within two to three days. Similarly, the Orbera balloon is typically placed during an outpatient procedure and people return to routine daily activities within several days to a week. Clinical evidence has demonstrated that these procedures can lead to effective and proven weight loss when used in conjunction with lifestyle changes, including healthy eating and exercise.
To increase awareness of endoscopic weight loss options for people living with obesity, the company is launching a companion initiative: Break Through, a national consumer media campaign that addresses some of the concerns voiced by women in the survey. The campaign shines a spotlight on minimally invasive weight loss procedures that may help qualified people break through the mental and physical barriers of dieting, high-cost weight loss medications and surgical fear and try a new approach.