Woman in Iowa Swallows Tapeworm in Bizarre Attempt to Lose Weight

A dieter in Iowa, United States, came up with a bizarre method of attempting to lose weight, by swallowing a tapeworm.

The unidentified woman reportedly bought the tapeworm on the internet and swallowed it. When she reported the incident to her physician, he was stumped enough to call up authorities at Iowa Department of Public Health where they told him to prescribe her some anti-worm medication.

Warning the health workers to be alert about the dangerous practice, Iowa's Public Health Department medical director Dr Patricia Quinlisk said, "Ingesting tapeworms is extremely risky and can cause a wide range of undesirable side effects, including rare deaths. Those desiring to lose weight are advised to stick with proven weight loss methods; consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity."

Source: Medindia