How do diet drugs work?

Researchers have found that dieters who lost the most weight on diet drugs, had also reduced the amount of fatty junk food they ate. Although some people reacted differently to starting the drugs, some took them as a license to eat more unhealthy food like crisps. The study analysed data of 572 people who had been prescribed the diet drug Orlistat by their GP. Alli is the most widely used diet pill.

This year saw the drug becoming available over the counter at chemists for people who were considered overweight or obese. It works by reducing the amount of fat which is absorbed by the body. This is then eliminated in bowel movements, which can cause disagreeable side effects.

Amelia Hollywood, who is a PHD student at the University of Surrey and one of the researchers who carried out the study said, "Our findings support the idea that Orlistat works not only on a physical level, but also psychologically as it encourages people to see their diet as a cause of their weight problem.

"In addition, the side effects are so unpleasant that people avoid eating fatty foods and therefore lose weight. However, the way in which some people responded to Orlistat was surprising.

Hollywood explained how some people who were featured in the study had reported that their eating behaviour became significantly unhealthier over the six month period. She explained how people weren't adhering to the medication as they were supposed to saying some were taking Orlistat as a lifestyle drug. She continued by saying that many took it when they were eating meals higher in fat to reduce weight gain and then not taking it when they were going on holiday or out for a meal, as they weren't keen on experiencing the consequences of eating the fatty food.

The preliminary findings, presented at the British Psychological Society's Division of Health Psychology conference in Birmingham, found that on average those taking the diet pills lost almost 10lb over six months.

GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Alli, insist that the drug should only be used as part of an overall diet programme, which would also include a concentration on healthy eating.

11/09/2009

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: