HUGELY OVERWEIGHT AND DEPRESSED, ANNE DIAMOND DECIDED A GASTRIC BAND WAS THE ONLY ANSWER. HERE, IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL, SHE ADMITS FOR THE FIRST TIME HOW LITTLE SHE KNEW ABOUT THE OPERATION AND HOW DISASTROUSLY WRONG IT WENT.

MILLIONS of overweight Britons are at risk of life-threatening disease. As a last resort, many are turning to gastric band surgery -- on the NHS and, more often, privately. But do they understand what's involved? TV presenter Anne Diamond knew little about the procedure when she had a gastric band fitted three years ago -- with disastrous consequences. Here, in an extract from her new book, she reveals why she was so desperate to have the surgery, and warns anyone considering it to do their research thoroughly. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]