Doctor who once battled bulge now helps others

New drug aims to keep pounds off

Advertisement

Dr. Dominic Ricciardi struggled with weight problems all his life.

"I was from a traditional Italian family," he said. "I'd eat two bowls of pasta and my grandmother would tell me to eat more. She'd say, 'Eat or you'll get sick.' "

By the time he was 9, he weighed 150 pounds.

Now at a manageable weight, he uses his Summerlin-area practice at 8084 W. Sahara Ave, Suite H, to help others with weight issues and related problems. He practices a relatively new specialty called bariatric medicine, treating obesity and nutritional disorders.

He recently spoke to the Summerlin Lions Business and Professional Networking Group about obesity in America.

"It affects two-thirds of the population, but in the elderly, it affects almost three-quarters," he said.

He spoke about Americans' sedentary lifestyle, taking in more calories than are expended, and how with age can come limited mobility, exacerbating weight issues.

Theresa Noble, a personal trainer for 25 years, said she deals with people of all ages.

"You could weigh just what you did when you were 20, but by the time you're 60, your body composition has changed. You may weigh the same, but you don't look the same," she said. "It's true what they say, 'If you don't use it, you lose it.' "

Older people also have a higher incidence of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, all of which factor into obesity.

The medications people take can have an effect, as well. Some types of anti-depressants and pain medications can cause a dramatic increase in hunger.

"It's not just about putting the fork down, you're fighting biology," Ricciardi said.

The FDA recently approved a drug called Orlistat, to be available over-the-counter. It is meant to keep fat from being digested in the intestines so that instead it is eliminated with bowel movements. Studies have shown that, with low-fat eating and exercise, the drug allowed research subjects to lose an extra 5 percent of their body weight, compared to a group that ate and exercised the same amount, but did not take the drug.

Orlistat will be available in the fall. Its estimated cost will be $200-$250 per month.

Retired insurance salesman Joe Trammel of Summerlin said the high cost of the drug did not put him off. He'd like to lose 40 pounds and would consider taking Orlistat.

"My mother always said I was too short for my weight," he joked.