So obesity is being fought in New Zealand

The so-called DentalSlim Diet Control, developed by specialists from the University of New Zealand in Otago, is a new technology in the medical field that did not convince patients, however, it caused a rain of criticism on social networks. Specifically, the University of Otago in collaboration with the UK has developed a magnetic weight loss device that is applied to the patient’s upper and lower teeth.

The custom-made screws make it impossible for patients to open their mouths well, allowing a maximum jaw opening of 2 mm. According to the team that developed it, the inability to eat solid foods will help combat the problem of the global obesity epidemic. This dental device can be installed directly by a dentist. Two capsules, thanks to the power of the magnet, keep the upper and lower molars together, allowing the mouth to open as little as possible.

To test its efficacy, seven obese New Zealand women were implanted with the device for two weeks and recorded an average weight loss of 6.36 kg per person. Participants said they felt uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassed. Someone confessed to cheating by eating melted chocolate and soft drinks. However, despite the enthusiasm shown by the research team, the tool has drawn a lot of criticism on social media.

Some have described it as a “medieval torture instrument”. Others wondered what would happen if a person fell ill and needed intubation. To respond to the accusations received, the university tried to clarify the real applications of the device: “Our intention is not to offer a tool for rapid weight loss. Instead, the goal is to help obese people who need to undergo surgery and who cannot do it without losing weight first ” .