Professional chefs across the country are joining first lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity by educating kids on smart food choices. Read the full story

Weight loss surgery patients require unique vitamin supplements before and after their procedures. Which supplements they need often depends on the procedure. Read the full story

Obesity is adding to the economic crisis in California, according to a new study from the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. The report proves that inactivity and excess weight is driving up healthcare costs and slowing workplace productivity, costing the state billions. Read the full story

Belly fat can be beat with smart food choices, according to recent reports. Since the unsightly fat is speculated to trigger hormones that activate the hunger center of the brain, overcoming belly fat could not only help you feel full, but help improve blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Read the full story

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chef Dave Fouts Joins Weight Loss Surgery Channel Faculty

“World’s first bariatric chef” makes eating fun again for post-op weight loss surgery patients

DALLAS, Texas (February 14, 2009) — Cookbook author David Fouts, known as the “world’s first bariatric chef,” has joined the faculty of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel (WLSChannel.com) and will host a new cooking show to debut this spring.

After his own gastric bypass surgery in 2002, Fouts found himself 200 pounds lighter, but with no recipes for “pouch-friendly” dishes. Being a trained chef, he began to research the dietary needs of bariatric patients and invent new and better methods of preparing food.

“I started keeping a written record of my recipes, as well as notes on what had worked and what had failed,” recalls Fouts. He also began sharing his techniques with other weight loss surgery patients, and within a short time, “Chef Dave” was born. Now, as the newest member of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel faculty, his mission is to make mealtime more enjoyable again for viewers who have overcome obesity through bariatric surgery.

“I’m excited to be able to bring cooking tips, recipes, and food facts to viewers of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel,” says Fouts. “The network’s faculty is truly the cream of the crop – no pun intended – and being a part of the faculty gives me the satisfaction that the unique needs of weight loss surgery patients are being met. Every faculty member is an expert in their field and nobody brings this type of information together better than the Weight Loss Surgery Channel.”

Fouts received his Culinary Degree from the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, and began his career at the prestigious five-star hotel The Breakers. He later worked as Director of Food Services at Hippocrates Health Institute; Executive Chef for Omni Hotels; and most recently, Executive Chef for Sage Gourmet Café and Market in the Deep Deuce District of Oklahoma City. He currently serves as Corporate Chef for Bariatric Partners and iMetabolic, and is a regular contributor to WLS Lifestyles magazine.

“We are very excited to have Chef Dave as a member of our team,” says Craig Thompson, president and founder of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel. “As a gastric bypass patient myself, I know how tricky it is to adjust portion sizes and put together a tasty meal that’s flavorful but won’t adversely affect a small stomach pouch. Chef Dave is a master at what he does, and our viewers are going to love his creative recipes and his charisma.”

Chef Dave becomes the sixth member of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel faculty, which includes Craig Thompson, host of 90 Seconds to Success; Dr. David Provost, one of the country’s foremost bariatric surgeons; Executive Producer Leslie J. Thompson, host of WLS News; public speaker Yvonne McCarthy, host of the talk show WLS Journeys; and Beth Sheldon-Badore, YouTube star and host of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel’s newest show, Melting Mama’s Reality Bites.

About the Weight Loss Surgery Channel

The Weight Loss Surgery Channel (www.WLSChannel.com) is the world’s first television network for the weight loss surgery community. WLSChannel.com provides information, encouragement and support via online video, 24 hours a day for viewers who are considering bariatric surgery, as well as post-operative patients and their family, friends and caregivers. WLSChannel.com is owned and operated by The Weight Loss Surgery Channel, LLC, based in Lewisville, Texas.

CONTACTS:

Leslie J. Thompson, Executive Producer
Weight Loss Surgery Channel
Ph: (972) 436-9500
leslie [at] wlschannel [dot] com

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Recession May Be Affecting Our Waist Lines as well as Our Wallets

The global economic crisis is hitting everybody’s wallet these days. But, at least one researcher warns that it could be hitting us at the waistline, as well.

Dr. Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, fears that widespread financial hardship may lead Americans to cut their food budgets, eliminating more expensive fresh foods  and substituting cheaper “survival foods” – foods that tend to be less expensive but higher in fat, salt, and calories. The result could be poverty-related weight gain – what some are calling “recession pounds.”

In his research, Dr. Drewnowski found that people with higher incomes tend to have body weights closer to the healthy norm, while those with lower incomes have a much higher rate of obesity.

But, just because you’re feeling the pinch in your pocketbook doesn’t mean you have to pack on the pounds.
Robert Keith, a professor of nutrition and food science at Auburn University, says you can still be health-conscious at the supermarket, even while shopping on a shoestring. He points out that vegetables, like kale, broccoli and brussel sprouts are relatively inexpensive and are readily available throughout the year. Also, produce like bell peppers, sweet potatoes, beets and collard greens don’t cost much and are packed with vitamins, and a can of sardines can be a cheap source of protein.

Of course, it’s bad to eat too much of anything – even kale. But, when hardship hits, a bunch of beets is a better bet than a shopping cart filled with traditional cheap eats, like Hamburger Helper, Pop-Tarts and Spam. So, shop wisely, friends!

Texas Taxpayers May Cover New Obesity Program

Texans don’t want to go through life fat, sick, and uninsured. But here in America, if you don’t have medical insurance – or a big pile of cash – you can pretty much forget weight loss surgery. Although Medicare will cover bariatric procedures in certain cases, patients who don’t meet Uncle Sam’s strict qualifications are out of luck.

But, all that may be changing for uninsured patients in Tarrant County, Texas – the county surrounding Fort Worth – who may soon have another option for weight loss surgery at the county hospital.

The low-cost and sometimes FREE services available at the taxpayer-supported hospitals and clinics of the Tarrant County Hospital District are often the only source of medical care for uninsured area residents.

But, these services are usually limited to treating injuries, chronic diseases, or maternity care. Now, the county health network is considering a proposal to offer comprehensive obesity treatment to selected patients who are members of the county’s low-cost health plan.

Initially, the treatment would consist of medical counseling on diet and nutrition; but going forward, doctors would identify lower risk patients to receive bariatric surgery.

Supporters of the proposal contend that spending local tax dollars to treat obesity up front will save JPS Health Network the cost of treating diabetes, heart and liver issues associated with obesity in the future. Of course, naysayers believe the proposal is little more than a taxpayer bailout of patients who fail to take personal responsibility for their eating habits.

But whether or not Texas taxpayers will foot the bill for the new obesity program will be determined by the District, whose decision is expected later this year.