So I listened to the new Beyond the Podcast episode which is all about the Aspireassist. For those of you who don’t know what this device is, it’s being called the “bulimia machine” since effectively allows the user to pump out their stomach contents using a tube that’s been surgically attached to the body. This surgery is intended for those who are severely obese and are looking for similar results to a gastric bypass or Lap Band.
The Aspireassist involves a surgery that attaches a tube to the inside of the users stomach which also protrudes through the front of the body. After eating, the user can attach a pump the the tube which will empty the stomach which effectively removes those calories from the body.
This video explains it in more detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn87H4-dZR4
So the main concerns brought up in the podcast are the following.
- Aspireassist doesn’t cause increased learning
- could be abused
- won’t cause the user to be happy
- user could still over eat
- side effects
Let me break down each one for you
Long term changes in habit can only really occur if learning is involved. This could involve meal timing, recipes, types of food or general nutrition. The Aspireassist (and also the Lap Band and gastric bypass) don’t involve any actual increases in knowledge meaning that the users probably won’t change their poor eating habits.
Having a tube to your stomach is concerning enough, but how could this be abused? Users are recommended to wait 30 minutes after eating before using the pump. This is so the stomach acids have time to dissolve some of the food so it can pass through the tube with greater ease. To assist this, the users first pump water into their stomachs (though the tube) which will dilute the stomach contents. What happens if the user gets the great idea to pump something else into their stomach? Energy drinks? Alcohol? This could lead to some pretty dangerous side effects as this is allowing the user who could have zero knowledge of health and nutrition direct access to their digestive system.
Obese to Beast had a lot of thoughts on if this device will actually cause the users to be happy. OTB is unique in that he’s lost over 170lbs during his weight loss journey and recently just competed in his first bodybuilding competition. He talks on how he assumed his insecurities were tied to his weight, but ultimately once he lost the weight he still didn’t feel better about himself. A big part of his journey involved him learning how to love and accept himself. Will the Aspireassist result in the users being happier? Or is this going to be similar to plastic surgery where the users are never satisfied?
Since the users are emptying the contents of their stomach what’s to stop them from just eating more? This goes back the first point where long term change will only happen if new habits are formed. If the reason why users are obese is due to something psychological this may not have any actual change to the individual.
Finally what are the side effects of the surgery. Since there’s a tube in your stomach what happens if the user is sick and needs to vomit? Is there a risk of leakage?
My overall thoughts on the matter is that the Aspireassist could be an effective method for weight loss but additional learning should be a requirement. This procedure is another example how American medicine tries to treat every illness as an acute issue instead of chronic. Shouldn’t the solution to obesity to be government prevention acts? These procedures are similar to giving a smoker a new lung, just to have the patient continue to smoke.
I’m not saying that these procedures should be allowed, but we need to increase our populations knowledge about nutrition and proper eating. A quick fix will never be the solution to obesity.
Engineered Fitness 