Use of obesity drugs reaches new high
February 4th, 2008 by admin
UK’s NHS Information Centre for health and social care informed that prescribed anti obesity drugs reached more than a million a year. This represents an annual cost of £47.5 million. Officials said that the number of prescriptions surpassed for more than eight times the level nine years ago. Most prescriptions are written for two drugs, orlistat (Xenical) and sibutramine (Reductil).
The two drugs work very differently. Sibutramine functions by altering chemical messages that control feelings such as hunger or desire to eat, whereas orlistat reduces absorption of ingested fat.
The NHS also informed that about one fifth of men and nearly one in four women are now at very high risk of developing health problems caused or stimulated by overweight.
Exercise and healthy diet
One of the problems is that many people recur to taking a pill to solve their weight problems instead of focusing on earlier stages of the process. Anti-obesity drugs can help manage weight problems but it is best if they are left as the last resort. Doctors recommend a healthy diet and regular physical activity to manage weight. This way it is possible to reduce serious conditions linked to obesity such as diabetes and heart disease in a more efficient way.
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