This April has been good news month in Philadelphia. According to a report published in Pediatrics, a research project to tackle obesity among children has been a success. Ten elementary schools were chosen, five instituted the weight loss program (although more local schools later began the program informally). Essentially, the proactive schools attacked the problem from three sides: through changing the food served in the cafeteria and sold through vending machines, by reintroducing physical exercise, and by teaching better lifestyles to both the children and their parents.

The results? The number of overweight children entering all the schools remained constant. But the number of overweight children dropped about 10% in the program schools and rose about 25% in the non-program schools. This suggests that individuals benefit from peer-group activity to reduce weight and points the problem for parents and adults in general.

Unless adults use their friends and families to keep their motivation going, or join a group and maintain a social commitment to weight loss, their chances of success are more limited. The real problem is maintaining morale. No matter how hard you try to change your diet or introduce exercise, progress is always slower than you expect. Wherever you look, real food looks back from your television screens, from the branded fast-food outlets you pass, from those cake shop windows. . . Temptation is everywhere.

Let us be clear. The only way to lose weight is to eat less. But resisting the temptation to eat more of the same old “bad stuff” is all the harder when you start out on your diet because you always feel hungry. It is a natural consequence of eating less. It takes time for your body to adjust to smaller portions which are less sweet, and so it is easy to lapse during the first week.

This is where acomplia comes into its own. Acomplia changes the way your cannabinoid system signals your body’s needs through the central nervous system. You can see it when people are stressed or celebrating. They often eat more. The body naturally regulates food intake against energy needs and to reflect your moods. Acomplia breaks the link between fear and pleasure, and the activity of eating. If your body tells you your stomach is full, you stop eating. If you do not feel the need to eat for several hours longer than usual, your diet is already underway.

Acomplia can help people help themselves. Going back to Philly for a moment, it is relatively easy for children looking round a classroom to feel they are all on a quest to lose weight. They can take pleasure in their own and each others’ success. If you are an adult sitting quietly on your own without that kind of support group around you, acomplia can help you get through the first few weeks of reducing your food intake. Once you have established new eating habits with smaller portions of more healthy food, you should find yourself leaner and less in need of acomplia’s support.