Obalon – New Eatable Balloon Will Help You Lose Weight

These days, the overall trend is shifting from muscular lean bodies to fat physiques and well, we can partly blame technology and science for that. Everything is too damn convenient nowadays. The concept of going and playing outdoor games is diminishing and we see everyone busy with their smartphones. The end result; people are getting more prone to obesity.


As always, science is now trying to make amends and repair the damage that has been inflicted. Although some of the cases are victims of genes, most of them would have been physically fit had they kept a healthy diet and did exercise regularly. So nowadays, we are looking at a number of techniques and gadgets which claim to help users lose fat. Today’s article is about one such gadget which claims to be a non-invasive solution to lose weight.

This particular gadget needs to be swallowed by the user and is then made to inflate inside the user’s stomach. The inflated balloon helps the users achieve sensation of fullness sooner and therefore, help reduce their food intake. The gadget is known as Obalon and is basically a gastric balloon. It comes in the form of a capsule and after swallowing it, the inflation is carried out by making use of a catheter which is connected to the Obalon. Once the inflation is complete, the catheter is removed and the whole process takes under fifteen minutes.

The gadget was designed for those users who have a Body Mass Index of at least 27kg per sq.meter. However, the manufacturers advise to make use of the gadget with changes to your lifestyle and eating habits. Obalon remains in your stomach for about 12 weeks and additional two balloons can be added as per requirement. The balloons can then be removed by employing an outpatient endoscopy.

Obalon claims that their gastric balloon is smaller and lighter when compared with other such gadgets out in the market and makes use of nitrogen which allows it to stay on top of the stomach. However, they are also very clear on the fact that it is not meant to help you lose fat on its own. It is just a part of long term plan which involves you changing your habits and opting for a healthy lifestyle. Obalon’s lab results are quite promising where a 50.2% reduction in excess body weight has been logged. The gadget has been approved by European health authorities and is awaiting approval from FDA so that it can be launched in US too.



Spire Clinics Consultant Sally Norton said; ‘There are many causes for global obesity and poor portion control is just one of them. The Obalon balloon alone is not going to reverse the global epidemic, but has potential to help a large group of overweight and obese people who are worried about their health and have no other treatment available to them.’

The gadget sure is promising but we would suggest you stick to healthy diet and regular workout to keep the weight in check. Check out the video below: