St Albans, United Kingdom (PressExposure) July 05, 2010 -- Researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London studying the fate of 318 women undergoing IVF have discovered that almost half of these women were overweight or obese. Taking account of other factors such as the woman’s age, medical history and whether she smoked, the overweight women were found to be more than twice as likely to have a miscarriage.

According to an article published in The Daily Mail, scientists are still trying to find out why being overweight can lead to miscarriage. One theory is that overweight women – even those who conceive naturally - have higher levels of insulin in their blood, which may alter the lining of the womb.

In addition, overweight mothers-to-be are more likely to suffer complications such as high blood pressure and diabetes; they may need a Caesarean section, and they are at greater risk of losing blood while giving birth. Their children are more likely to be stillborn or die in the first weeks or months of life and to suffer birth defects such as heart problems.

The Daily Mail article goes on to quote Professor Adam Balen, of the Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, as saying that, 'About 30 to 35 per cent of women of reproductive age in the UK are obese.’

Penelope Howard, obesity specialist and the founder of the Howard’s Way very low calorie diet (VLCD), commented: “The Daily Mail article states that women who want to conceive - irrespective of whether they are trying to conceive naturally or with IVF - are twice as likely to miscarry if they are overweight or obese! This implies that a large proportion of women are jeopardising their chances of having children.

“With some 30 to 35 per cent of women of reproductive age in the UK being obese, this is an extremely important issue – especially if it affects you personally. “Obviously, the answer is to lose weight and get down to a more healthy weight,” Penelope continued.

“The problem this presents is that it ‘usually’ takes so long to diet from an unhealthy weight - say 18 stones - to a more healthy weight (say 10 stones) that, when you are wanting to add to your family, postponing it for a year and a half while you diet seems out of the question. Bariatric Surgery is drastic, not quick and it would put you out of action of six months or more, anyway.

“A highly viable and ‘do-able’ solution is to lose three or more stones with a ‘healthy’ VLCD. Used properly with the correct advice and support, an overweight Mum-wishing-to-be can shed three stones in just 12 weeks, and eight stones in six or seven months.

“Then she can go on to conceive and have a healthy, full term baby.”

Howard’s Way’s approach to combating Britain’s growing obesity problem is to sign up obese patients to a join a group of dieters on a 12-week VLCD programme. During that time, each patient, typically, loses three stones in weight.

“No one who is overweight has chosen to be so. Their weight is the undesirable net result of bad choices,” Penelope said.

“In our efforts to treat our obese patients we have two goals,” she continued.

“We want to teach them about nutritional values of food; how to see past misleading advertising on food; how their bodies use different foods, and which foods – such as white sugar - are likely to have an addictive quality about them. Secondly, we want to keep them nutritionally supported and healthy while they shed their excess weight.

“So, if you’re considering starting a family and want a quick, simple and safe way to lose weight, check out Howard’s Way,” said Penelope.

For further details about Howard’s Way, visit http://www.howardsway.co.uk

The Daily Mail story, written by Fiona Macrae, is available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1290313/Overweight-women-double-risk-miscarriage-finds-IVF-study.html

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Further information from: Penelope Howard: + 44 (0)1923 773851 / penny@croxley.demon.co.uk Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR: +44 (0)1727 860405 / bob.little@boblittlepr.com

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About Howard’s Way VLCD

Penelope Howard had been researching into very low calorie diets (VLCDs) and weight loss since 1992 and worked with obese patients and a VLCD for some five years before she founded Howard’s Way in 1998.

Those enrolling on the Howard’s Way VLCD initially agree to an 18 week programme involving regular meetings twice weekly for the first four weeks, then once a week from there on. For the ‘Distance Dieter’ these meetings are replaced with one-to-one ‘support calls’ every week. In addition, Howard’s Way staff try to speak to those beginning the diet for at least five minutes a day to provide vital ‘moral’ support.

Howard’s Way recognises that the hardest struggle is maintaining lost weight. So, while dieting, all patients are talked through weekly handouts to gain knowledge and understanding on the workings of their body and the effects of eating certain foodstuffs. Additionally, Howard’s Way Maintenance support is ‘free of charge for life’ for all our dieters.

Typically, most patients lose at least three stones (20 kilos) in weight, men often much more, in the first 12 weeks of the diet. Those who choose to carry on with the diet continue to lose about a stone (6.5 kilos) every four weeks.

The Howard’s Way VLCD comprises specially formulated foods, in the form of: milk shakes; soups; and fruit bars; containing the full complement of vitamins, minerals, protein and essential fatty acids that an adult requires but restricting the calorific intake, to induce a state of ‘mild dietary ketosis’ after day three of the diet.

Press Release Source: http://PressExposure.com/PR/Bob_Little_Press_|_PR.html