Скрыть пустые категории товаров

defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access');

$categoryModel = VmModel::getModel('Category');

foreach ( $categories as $category ) {
...
}

foreach ( $categories as $category ) {
  if($categoryModel->countProducts($category->virtuemart_category_id)){
  ...
  }
}

echo $categoryModel->countProducts($category->virtuemart_category_id).'|';

	public function countProducts($cat_id=0) {
 
		$db = JFactory::getDBO();
		$vendorId = 1;
		if ($cat_id > 0) {
			$q = 'SELECT count(`p`.virtuemart_product_id) AS total	
  FROM `#__virtuemart_product_categories` as `pc`
  LEFT JOIN `#__virtuemart_products` as `p` ON `pc`.virtuemart_product_id = `p`.virtuemart_product_id
  WHERE `pc`.`virtuemart_category_id` = "'.(int)$cat_id.'"
  AND `p`.`virtuemart_vendor_id` = "'.(int)$vendorId.'"
  AND `p`.`published` = "1" ';
			$db->setQuery($q);
			$count = $db->loadResult();
		} else $count=0 ;
 
		return $count;
	}