Approximately one-third of adults in Bradford are overweight and a fifth are obese.

Four years ago, Bradford Council’s health improvement committee set up an obesity review group, with recommendations for action. Today the committee is being presented with a report on the progress made in tackling the district’s obesity levels.

While obesity becomes something of a national crisis, rising numbers of people have been resorting to desperate measures to lose weight. The fitting of gastric bands has attracted much controversy in recent years.

While successful for some – including TV presenter Fern Britton – the weight-loss procedure can bring problems including bands slipping or leaking and can, on occasion, lead to a patient dying.

This presents a dilemma for those who crave the results but don’t want to take those risks. Yet it doesn’t have to. An alternative treatment claims to offer the benefits of surgery – with none of the bad side-effects.

The idea of an imaginary or virtual gastric band may seem laughable to many, but that is exactly what is offered through a technique that has borne many success stories.

Steve Unsworth ‘fits’ people with gastric bands using a hypnotic procedure. “We go through what actually happens during surgery,” he says. “I give each client a full explanation of each stage, using a model of a stomach and a photograph of a gastric band.”

Each person wears a headset and listens to sounds of an operating theatre, complete with background conversations and music, while Steve talks to them.

“I get them to imagine they’re on a trolley being pushed along hospital corridors towards the operating theatre,” says Steve.

Steve, a member of the UK Guild of Hypnotic Examiners, also incorporates surgical smells during the virtual operation. As ‘surgeon’, he makes five ‘incisions’, reassuring clients they won’t feel pain.

The former professional drummer introduces a heartbeat he has recorded. “I get people to listen to the beat in time and imagine the stomach area, and the band being put in place,” explains Steve, who lives and practises in Baildon.

The ‘gastric mind band’ procedure mirrors the real-life operation, in which an injection of saline solution fills an area of the stomach, tightening the band and leaving the stomach the size of a golf ball.

“I ask my clients to hold a golf ball in one hand and relate that to their stomach area,” says Steve. By imagining the golf ball – or having one at hand as they eat – they are able to gauge how much to consume at mealtimes.

“Most weight problems are issues of the mind. I’m able to treat them by inducing clients into a deep hypnotic state,” says Steve. “It is completely safe, secure and painless.”

Gastric mind band treatment is very popular in America, and is becoming increasingly so here.

Steve, a qualified hypnotherapist and neuro-linguistic programming practitioner, who also studied humanistic psychology and practice at the University of Bradford, believes the advantages of a virtual band outweigh those of going under the knife.

“Often people are not mentally ready for a surgical procedure – it is all centred around the stomach. I target the mind too, which is vital,” he says.

The treatment with Steve is followed by sessions with a dietician and lifestyle coach.

When Steve first began the procedure – which involves four two-hour sessions – a year ago, he aimed it at very overweight people. “But increasingly, I am treating people who are one or two stone overweight,” he says.

“Many people say they have been on all sorts of diets but nothing worked for them. They are amazed by the impact of their mind band.”

- For more details ring (01274) 580480 or 07774 697586 or visit vakgroup.co.uk e-mail steve@vakgroup.co.uk.

Tom's Story

For Tom Thornton, the results have been life-changing.

Restaurant manager Tom, 21, of Guiseley, lost five stone in six months after having a hypnotic ‘mind band’ treatment.

“I feel like I have actually had a band fitted,” he says. “I feel full after eating small amounts.”

His weight problems began in his teens. “I’ve been yo-yoing since then,” he says. “I tried every diet going.”

Tom – pictured before and after his ‘mind band’ therapy – weighed almost 23 stone when he sought help from Steve.

“I was sceptical, but I’m open-minded and decided to give it a go. It completely changed my thought processes towards food and made me think I didn’t need as much.

“Instead of food being a crutch to turn to when I feel down, it became a fuel. Now I eat to live, rather than live to eat.”

At 17-and-a-half stone, he’s maintaining his weight and hoping to lose more. “My outlook is a lot more positive and I don’t have the image issues I had before,” he says. “The treatment worked for me – and it’s cheaper and less risky than surgery. I contemplated having a gastric band, but can forget that now.”