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One contest TV host Fern Britton won't be entering
Anna Davis, Evening Standard04.07.08
A private London obesity clinic is giving away free fat-busting operations to patients who can't get treatment on the NHS.
The National Obesity Surgery Centre, based at Highgate Hospital, has launched a competition with a £7,500 gastric band procedure as the main prize.
TV presenter Fern Britton recently admitted she had undergone the surgery - during which a band is tied around the stomach to limit the amount of food people can eat - having claimed to have lost weight through dieting and exercise.
The centre is also giving away gastric balloon operations worth £4,500 each, in which a saline filled pouch is inserted into the stomach to make patients feel constantly full.
To be in with a chance of winning the competition, entrants must explain why they deserve the operation and list the diets they have tried.
Professor Nadey Hakim, a surgeon at Highgate Hospital, said: "This new initiative aims to raise awareness of the treatments which are privately available to counter obesity. A spokeswoman for the centre admitted there were fears that the contest - the first of its kind - would "sound like something out of the back of a magazine". However, she added: "The people who carry out the surgery are leaders in their field."
Reader views (2)
There has been to much criticism of Fern. She has had obesity surgery in the form of a gastric band. Not only does she look fab. but will probably have improved her health and extended her life. Good on this clinic for bringing to the attention the lack of funding for obesity by the NHS.
- Anne Crabtree, Bolton
An option for the quick fix generation - surgery!
After a few years of too much food and drink I reached 18 stone. 15 months of boring little meals and, yuck, low cal drink and my weight went down to 13 stone. It’s called willpower and taking the long view, something people just don’t seem to want to do these days.
- James, Chelmsford
