It's so very easy for a thin, healthy person to comment negatively about obesity. However, most thin people have never faced obesity, if they're making such harsh comments. They've never walked in an obese persons shoes to know that illness and medication is also a cause of being overweight. The spinal injuries, surgeries, steroids, etc...and lack of ability to exercise due to injury. Or the persons with auto-immune diseases that cause people to be on high dose steroids for years at a time, which causes weight to increase. So it seems a lot of thin, healthy people that have the health and ability to eat whatever they choose and are able to workout at the gym see all obese people as lazy over eaters that have no self control. These people are only closed minded and ignorant to the facts that obesity has many causes, each person has their own story as to how they became a bandster. But the bottom line is, we are all concerned enough to do something about it, if it's safe and works and we regain our health, who cares what vehicle it is that helps us attain our goal and cross the finish line. I wonder if the same people that criticize the band, would think twice about ditching their eyeglasses or contacts and having Lasix surgery to correct their imperfect eyes. I highly doubt it, as it's another option to get them to their goal of healthy eyesight. And P.S. Soujourner, yes this is only my opinion, I can provide no links, as this is a forum that is mixed with personal journeys and opinions, with some occasional proven statistics. Best wishes everyone.