Canadian Obesity Network: Specialty Mattress to Support Heavy Sleep

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - July 31, 2012) - Poor sleep has been linked to weight gain and high-quality sleep is often a problem for those struggling with excess weight.

Starting today, 4.5 million Canadians living with obesity can finally sleep easy thanks to a new partnership between the Canadian Obesity Network (CON-RCO) and Edmonton mattress manufacturer Araam Inc.

CON-RCO, Canada's national non-profit association of obesity researchers and health professionals joined forces with Araam Inc. to design LIT, a made-in-Canada specialty mattress featuring three distinct support sections (head, middle, foot) that can be configured using one of five comfort layers - Latex, Latex Plus, Memory Foam, Memory Foam Plus and Gel. The result is a completely customized sleep experience boasting firm core support and a multitude of comfort combinations to specifically suit the needs of individuals carrying 250 pounds or more.

"People living with obesity are, frankly, ignored when it comes to the design and manufacture of common consumer and household goods, forcing them to use furniture, cars, bathroom fixtures and other products designed for normal-weight individuals," explains Dr. Arya M. Sharma, scientific director for CON-RCO. "The result can be discomfort, injury and a significant reduction in mobility and quality of life. LIT is a great example of how new products can be quickly designed with input from obese people and health experts, and rolled out to meet the unique needs of this emerging market."

"The unique structure of LIT beds will provide a durable, long lasting, high-quality sleep at an affordable price," says Jabir Noormohamed, vice president of sales for Araam. "We've created LIT for people with different body types and sizes, so they are able to customize it not only to their shape but also their sleeping preference. There is not another mattress like it in the world. LIT can support a significant body weight, but is perfect for anyone looking for a more durable, customizable mattress, including pregnant women."

Will LIT finally provide obese Canadians with more rest? Edmonton's Marty Enokson, who weighed 501 pounds before undergoing bariatric surgery in 2009, participated in the extensive consultations that informed LIT's design speaks from experience:

"It inspires me that the driving forces behind LIT cared enough and recognized that there was a need for a mattress that would support overweight individuals in a way that other commercially available beds could not," "LIT will indeed change things for those individuals who don't necessarily fit into what this world considers 'normal' size. It's a product that has been missing from the marketplace for a very, very long time."

LIT beds are available online at www.litbeds.com and through Sprout, a retail store at 11620 178th Street in Edmonton, AB, where a hands-on configuration demo is also available. A proportion of all retail sales will go to support the Canadian Obesity Network.