OPTIFAST(R) Program Pleases Patients With Innovative, Tasty Full Meal Replacement Bars

Medically-monitored weight loss program brings more options to those battling obesity

MINNEAPOLIS, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The OPTIFAST Program has raised the bar in the medical weight management industry, offering nutritionally complete meal replacement bars to its patients. Now, the medically monitored program is offering two new bar flavors in its lineup, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Berry with yogurt coating.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090623/CG37214)

Historically known as a liquid-only diet, OPTIFAST Programs have been offering the OPTIFAST 800(R) Chocolate Bar for more than a year, giving people a savory, non-liquid meal replacement option. With the overwhelming success of the Chocolate Bar, the OPTIFAST Division of Nestle HealthCare Nutrition introduces two new bar flavors to help further improve program compliance and provide an even greater number of people with the tools to succeed. Each OPTIFAST 800 Bar is a nutritionally complete meal replacement, packed with protein and fiber, without trans fat.

"The OPTIFAST Program does a tremendous job of providing people with the right amount of medical monitoring, behavior modification, health and wellness training, and meal replacement options," says Dr. Jamy Ard, medical adviser for Nestle HealthCare Nutrition. "It's not easy to lose weight, but programs like OPTIFAST help people take the right steps to change their relationship with food, lose weight, keep it off and get their lives back."

About OPTIFAST

The OPTIFAST Program utilizes a stimuli-narrowing dietary intervention in combination with behavioral therapy techniques, nutrition and exercise education along with medical supervision. Stimuli narrowing limits the variety and quantity of available foods and flavors to decrease appetite. Together, the main components of the OPTIFAST Program--stimuli narrowing and behavioral therapy-have helped more than a million people lose weight during the 35 years the OPTIFAST Program has been available. More important, over 50 percent of those who complete the OPTIFAST Program keep off enough weight to improve their long term health. (Wadden TA, Frey DL. A multicenter evaluation of proprietary weight loss program for the treatment of marked obesity: A five-year follow up. Int J Eat Disord 1997;22:203-212.)

The OPTIFAST Program is available in more than 400 clinics nationwide. The program and its products are available through authorized physicians only. For more information visit www.OPTIFAST.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090623/CG37214
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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com OPTIFAST Program

CONTACT: Carie Wlos of Hiebing, +1-608-256-6357, Ext. 206,
cwlos@hiebing.com , for OPTIFAST Program; or Jessie Joslin of Nestle
HealthCare Nutrition, Inc., +1-952-848-6152, jessie.joslin@us.nestle.com

Web site: http://www.OPTIFAST.com/