Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in North America and Europe with 54%
of American adults now classed as overweight or obese, and 14% of children
between 6 – 11 now classed as clinically obese (Frier & Green, 2001)
Obesity is now recognized as aprimary cause of numerous chronic,
life-threatening diseases including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes,
hypertension and many non-smoking related cancers. The significance of the
effect of obesity on ‘all cause’ mortality is starkly illustrated in the diagram
below.
Weight management forms a primary cornerstone to any health maintenance and
disease prevention/treatment program and has also been proven in numerous animal
experiments to be probably the single most important factor in enhancing
longevity. The most consistent and scientifically logical means of reducing
weight is to reduce calorific intake (and, if possible, increase calorific
expenditure by exercise at the same time). Again, probably the most consistent
way of achieving this is to replace a normal meal each day with a high protein,
low fat/carbohydrate meal replacement drink.
BMI Balance from Pharmax is unique in combining a high protein, full meal
replacement with physiologically meaningful amounts of three nutriceutical
components. In recent years, scientific research has established that these
three nutriceutical components (conjugated linolenic acid, L-carnitine and
chromium) have specific effects in increasing the level of fat that is
metabolized or ‘burnt’. This increases fat turnover in the body, resulting in a
greater loss of fat from adipose tissue and reduced deposition of dietary fat
into adipose tissue. The result is a high protein, trace nutrient-balanced,
fat-metabolizing drink, which can be used by anyone seeking to manage weight
control, or as part of a treatment program where weight loss is a desirable goal
for the patient.