Weight-loss methods, both past and present, have involved and continue to involve numerous risks. Modern life presents us with daily challenges. Perhaps the most stressful of these, however, is the idea that each of us must know and be able to do everything. The slogans of the 21st century – „Nothing is impossible“, „Just do it“, „Be… Become… Win…“ – aim to motivate us and, in the process, sell us something. Often, however, they lead us to expect too much of ourselves and ultimately to feel incapable, dissatisfied and unhappy. The media bombard us with stories of teenage millionaires. It’s also full of programmes where ordinary people become stars, whilst social media is bursting with triumphant selfies. And everyone looks healthier, braver, richer and happier than they really are. Except they also look thinner.
This obsession isn’t a recent phenomenon; it’s a vicious circle. First, we stuff ourselves with everything that’s new, trendy, often cheap and unhealthy; then we look for a way to shed the excess weight. This cycle has been tormenting people for as long as history has existed – or at least for as long as advertising has existed. Over the centuries, many methods have been tried for losing weight and getting rid of excess fat, each more extreme than the last. We at laser centre At Body Aesthetics, we have set out to show you the most dangerous of these, both in the past and today. In this way, we hope to protect you from irreparable mistakes.
In Victorian England, it was fashionable to swallow small tapeworms (flat intestinal worms) as a method of losing weight. Tapeworms are known to grow in the digestive system and begin to feed off the host. As well as being disgusting, this practice was also quite dangerous: the harmful parasite was ultimately removed via the throat using a wire hook. Not to mention that, in many cases, the presence of a tapeworm in the body can lead to epilepsy or dementia. Those administering this „treatment“ were certainly not medical professionals.
At the same time, the French were taking arsenic, which does indeed aid weight loss to some extent, but we now know that it is poisonous. In certain quantities, it is even lethal. At that time, numerous medicines were on sale, the manufacturers of which did not even consider it necessary to mention that they contained arsenic.
In the early 20th century, Horace Fletcher popularised his „Chew and Spit“ weight-loss method. Literally, food is chewed to satisfy the taste buds and then spat out. Apart from the sheer waste of food, the danger of this method lies in the fact that nutrients do not reach the body. Side effects include stomach ulcers, swollen salivary glands, dental problems, hormonal imbalance and more.
And let’s not forget marketing’s biggest hoax – cigarettes. This method of weight loss remains popular in many societies to this day. A Lucky Strike advert from December 1924 reads: „If you fancy something sweet, reach for a cigarette. The easiest way to keep the weight off.“ I doubt any further comment is needed…
But these are just weight-loss methods from the past, aren’t they? We’re lucky enough to live in a high-tech age, where people are well-informed and the authorities keep an eye out for quacks. Well, it turns out that’s not quite the case…
Although it is now classified as an eating disorder, the „chew and spit“ method“ For example, it is still practised. A 2004 study by Angela Guarda shows that 34% of patients with eating disorders admitted to having tried the method at least once in the past month. A further 19% reported that they practise it regularly. According to Dr Philip Awad of the University of Sydney (2017), this practice has become even more popular over the last five years. The main reason for this is, of course, social media.
This argument is supported by a research study by the University of Haifa. A directly proportional relationship has been found between eating disorders in girls aged between 12 and 19 and the amount of time spent on Facebook. Those affected often turn to online forums for so-called „thinspiration” (inspiration to lose weight). However, the advice found there focuses not on how to seek medical help, but on how to conceal the traces of these habits that are harmful to health. Ultimately, several studies in recent years have shown that, in the long term, the „chew and spit“ method actually leads to weight gain.
It’s all the fault of the forums, isn’t it? At least nobody swallows tapeworms any more, do they? Wrong. This method of losing weight is still practised. Perhaps the most famous case is that of the opera star Maria Callas, who is said to have kept a „parasite as a pet“. Although it’s banned in most countries, pills containing cow tapeworm eggs are freely sold in Mexico. What’s more, they cost $1,500! On „medical“ forums, amongst posts weighing up the pros and cons – as if this is something that can or should even be discussed – one can find numerous enquiries. They come from desperate people who want to know how they can get hold of such a pill. And also whether it can be ordered online.
The diet industry has been growing steadily over the last 200 years, constantly adapting to the market and becoming more diverse. In the UK, it is worth £2 billion; in the US, it is worth $81 billion, and it continues to grow. These figures mainly include pharmaceutical products, food and other items. High-protein diets, such as the Atkins and Dukan diets, have millions of followers. Celebrities promote diets as part of this lucrative industry. This includes books, DVDs, CDs, creams, lotions, pills, rings and earrings, thermal leggings, body belts and vibrating massagers. It also includes gyms, weight-loss clinics, food products and supplements.
In Western Europe, sales of weight-loss products, excluding prescription medicines, reached 1.25 billion euros as early as 2009. In the US, between 33 and 55 billion dollars are spent annually on weight-loss products and services. Around 70% of Americans„ attempts to lose weight are of the so-called “self-help’ variety. Despite this, 64% of adults there are overweight.
Do it yourself? Perhaps this isn’t the best approach, at least not when it comes to losing weight. They say you learn from your mistakes, but that applies more to monkeys. Our developed cerebral cortex gives us the unique opportunity to learn from our mistakes to the others – to think critically and to make choices. The scourge of today’s informed society is the boundless sea of information. In it, simple truth is lost and replaced by self-interest, concealed by unchecked anonymity.
You don’t need to have a degree in medicine, physiotherapy or dermatology to avoid reckless, high-risk weight-loss methods. Nor do you need to spend several hundred thousand to buy the very best equipment. There’s also no need to seek advice and support on anonymous forums and websites when we can put our trust in specialists through face-to-face consultations.
At Body Aesthetics, we believe that, through our joint efforts and with the help of cutting-edge technology, we can work together to tackle the challenges facing today’s dynamic individuals. These are challenges that we ourselves also face. We recommend only procedures with proven efficacy, as demonstrated by medical studies, and certified equipment from reputable manufacturers should be used.
You can find all this in our laser centre, so book an appointment now for a free, in-depth consultation. Our team of experts is always on hand. And we’d like to remind you once again that whilst innovation can help us catch up more quickly, there is another, indispensable method for losing weight: a healthy lifestyle.
The material The top 4 dangerous weight-loss methods was first published on Body Aesthetics.
