Want to Lose Weight? 'Belly Balloon' is Here For You!

A new device was recently approved by the FDA to treat obesity. The product works by making people feel full, staving off hunger and food cravings.

WebMD reported that the new device, called “belly balloon”, was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 28, 2015 for the treatment of obesity.

The product is a temporary implanted balloon that is inflated with sterile solution and kept inside the stomach for up to six months to help them feel full.

The device enters the stomach through the person’s mouth using an endoscope, via a minor invasive procedure.

The outpatient approach will require a mild sedative to be administered into the patient. The process usually takes less than 30 minutes to finish.

"This new balloon device provides doctors and patients with a new non-surgical option that can be quickly implanted, is non-permanent, and can be easily removed," said Dr. William Maisel, acting director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The ReShape Dual Balloon was approved by the FDA after a study was conducted focusing on the device. The study involved 326 obese participants, ages 22 to 60 years old, with at least one obesity-related condition.

187 participants who used the belly balloon lost over 14 pounds or 6.8 percent of their bodyweight after it was removed. Patients who did not use the device only lost about 3.3 percent of their bodyweight.

The ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System (ReShape Dual Balloon) functions by taking up space within the user’s stomach, giving the person a feeling of fullness and satiety.

The device can be kept inside the user’s stomach for no longer than six months, according to the FDA.

The device will not alter the natural anatomy of the patient’s stomach, the FDA stated.

Patients are requested to follow a special diet and exercise regimen recommended and supervised by their physician, to aid in weight loss while the ReShape Dual Balloon is in their stomach.

They will also be given guidelines on how to maintain weight loss after the belly balloon has been removed.

However, not everyone can use the belly balloon. The use of the product is limited only among obese patients with conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

The device is intended for individuals who have tried to lose weight through diet and exercise alone with little or zero results.