Vote in This Week's Poll: Do you think FDA-approved diet pills should be used to enhance weight loss?
You may have heard the news recently that the FDA has approved its first over the counter diet pill, a fat-blocking pill that is a reduced-strength version of Xenical. While this has been made much of in the media, how effective is it in the weight loss battle?
Aside from unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, notes in his article, Things to know before taking alli, that the pill may only help you lose an extra 2-3 pounds and only if you're also dieting and exercising. So, is it worth it and, if so, is this the answer to our weight loss problems? Take the poll and tell us what you think.
Poll: Do you think FDA-approved diet pills should be used to enhance weight loss?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes, but only by people who are very overweight or obese
4. Yes, but only if they exercise and eat a healthy diet
5. Other - Please explain in comments
Comments
I’m not a big fan of medication and only use it myself when I feel it absolutely necessary. Lifestyle change in addition to the help from the drug will have greater physical and mental benefits for the person.
It can be very frustrating when struggling with diet. Any positive help that can get someone started with weight loss might encourage them to continue with changes.
FDA Approved means that the drug is safe, not necessarily that it will actually help a person lose weight. There is no better or healthier way to lose weight than to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. If people want to use a diet pill to kick start their program, it might help them, but people need to realize that if they use a diet pill to lose weight and don’t change their lifestyle, they are likely to gain it back when they stop using the diet pill.
I would have to agree w/ the majority of the poll responsders – use the pill in conjunction w/ exercise and modified diet. I myself will only avail myself of this when on vacation – I’m pretty good on a day-to-day basis w/ watching what I eat and exercising but on vacation there’s a tendency to drop any pretenses to self-discipline. If it will help me not to gain 4-5 lbs then I’ll seriously consider using it.
Instead of promoting diet pills they should promote education on healthy eating and exercise.
For people who are disable this could be a help. Thank You
Once again our society has found the quick fix for obesity or so it seems. Doctors already have the remedies for really obese people and the rest of society has these quick fixes available from health food stores or others that in the long run only prolong a weight problem. I think the focus should be on fitness and not body weight that way perhaps people would go out for a walk instead of going to the store for a pill.
I strongly disagree. It is just another shortcut. Chances are many people will not have time to exercise or eat healthy anyways. They will probably just be getting even more fat. We need to focus on lowering the amount of junk food that we eat and increasing the time we have to take a relaxing bike ride. It is the only answer!
The main idea behind using this pill is to use it in conjunction with proper eating habits and exercising in order to lose weight, well how many of these people that are willing to jump on the band wagon have actually tried proper diet and excercising beforehand?, I would guess the numbers are very few, they are the ones looking for that magic pill. I agree that there needs to be more educating in the area of proper weight loss through tv shows because not everyone has access to a computer as some of us do, where there is an abundance of information, we need to reach those couch potatoes, in my opinion there the ones that can’t wait for the pill to come out.
Three words: Anna Nicole Smith.
I disagree. Like most appetite supresents and or weight loss pills. Just about all tell you to drink a glass of water before every meal, and don’t forget to exercise and diet. Ok drinking a glass of water already helps lower the appetite and if you exercise and diet, you are definitley going to lose weight. So, that leaves the question on does the pill really work if you already have to include exercise and diet that really does work. What’s the point in taking a pill if you can diet and exercise on your own and then have to worry about side effects of the pills.
If someone really wants to lose weight, it would be a good idea to see your doctor first and then a dietitian to help with your diet.
If you move more than you eat, you’re bound to lose weight. Slow and steady is the best policy. Do one absolutely no one should have to depend on anything to “help” lose weight. Been there done that!
“Diet pills” are a joke. We already have the tools we need to lose weight: thyroid pills and/or ritalin(amphetemine). But good luck getting a presecription for thyroid – never mind that you level is 1-point-whatever, you will never convince your doctor that your normal level should be higher, no matter how much your skin peels off, hair falls out, how feezing cold you are and no matter how many hours a day you sleep, because the “guidelines” drew some imaginary line in the sand and said if your thyroid level is more than one, you’re not low. It’s a scam. There’s no way that the range of “normal” is up to 500% different for people – and the 60% obesity rate in this country proves that easily. But thyroid is natural and they don’t make money off of it, so you’ll never see any real effort to treat people. And the FDA ruling that amphetemine can’t be used for weight loss because of “long term effects” is another joke. Schoolkids now take it for decades and somehow they don’t have any permanent damage from it. It’s, again, just a way to pad the pharmaceutical company’s pockets at the expense of people’s health.
I think with the track record of the FDA’s approval of diet drugs vs. the side effects and deaths from the fast track approval system they have used in the past ten years,I would recomend to all not to opt” for drugs.
For most people it is not just one area that contributes to obesity, and in this country our need to be the best at every thing and if we are not the top dog we’ve some how failed. Allong with the proccessed, prepackaged minute diet, and incrased sedentarieism is all part of the mechanism. Depression and STRESS are huge influances as well.Happieness and contentment are becoming an indangered emoton in this country. It will take a shift in what the statis quo states as how Americns should behave, and whats important in life. The perseption of what is healthy, and happieness is unique to each individual and yet in this day an age Americans give very little thought to what feels rigth to them. We tend to find happieness in what others tell us will make us happy.
What we think. How we feel emotionaly and physicly. What we know about a healthful diet and how we implement a smart yet satisfieing eating plan. A grounded and content spiritual place. (again a unique indidual experiance and in need of deep condenplatoion) But all of this is within our own individual reach. Some times people egt stuck and just need a little help. There are people to ask. Coaching, or someone to talk us through it. Seek people not pills. It may just save your life and you could pass it on and change, and empower another person. Be happy and seek happieness in others.
I think that a drug to help a person kick start their way to a healthier lifestyle is a wonderfull idea. Yet again as others have stated, it must be used with a healthy diet and daily exercise.
What I am most concerned with when reading about diet pills being approved by the FDA is the goverment wasting effort. In this I mean that the FDA or whoever is responsible, should be more concerned about continuing to change the American diet. We have started down a good path with whole grain foods more readily available and the ban that is slowly taking affect for transaturated fats. But we really need to be concerned with starting in elementary school cafeterias nation wide. Offering only healthy, properly balanced foods. Also pushing for foods to be regulated a bit closer for saturated fat content. It’s hard for low income families to afford these healthier foods, so if much less of them were allowed to be made, and most offerings falling in the range of nutritionally acceptable, and not “junk” we wouldn’t have a need for diet pills, obesity surgeries, and most of the nation being on some sort of heart or cholesterol medication.
I’m sure FDA diet meds will help, but they may lead others to the impression that there are such things as “wonder pills” out there. Like other commenters have said, it’s a great idea to kick start a diet, but if you want real, lasting results, you’ll have to change the way you eat and how much you exercise.
Ahem.
Olestra.
Fen-Phen.
Ephedra.
The FDA has approved things in the past — many things — that they later took another look at and said, “whoops.” Also, what are the long-term effects of blocking fat from being absorbed into the intestines? Don’t we need a certien amount of fat in our diets? Does it block all fat?
This is too easy for people to look at and see a magic bullet. Weight loss takes work, not a magic bean — I mean, pill.
FDA is just so crooked that they make loads of money from these diet pills company…of course they are going to approve them even if diet pills dont work!
This is America. People can do what they want.
This is America and these are adults (I hope) we’re talking about, so let them waste their dollars and make those pharm board of directors richer. In the meantime, I’m going for a walk and then eating low glycemic food for dinner.
Absolutly. And taking medication isn’t a quick fix in any way shape or form. Most people who want to lose weight are looking at the long term benefits and realize the hard work that is involved. I personally have experienced the positive reinforcement medication has provided and used it to work hand in hand with changing my diet and continuing my exercise program. The negative effects of medication are far less thant the negative effects of being overweight and our of shape.
The FDA is a joke! Use any new medication or in this case weight loss pills with caution. No fun being a guinea pig.
Yes, for no longer than the first two weeks in order to give the dieter a start.
If it helps at the beginning, maybe. But too many people do think of such as a”magic pill.” And it’s easy, a quick-fix. Convenient. Many people think of those as quality and worth it. Money paid for quick results. It’s in diet, exercise, lifestyle, attitude (which is directly related to lifestyle- it creates it), and other things. Maybe for a given time, but only as long as you need it, not as a crutch. Say you get a healthy routine going, and you continue using it for so long, you may start to delude yourself because of taking the pill. It’s choice yes, but that’s just the beginning. Action has to follow. And as far as the ‘BMI,’ it can only mean so much.
Instant Gratification! The substances we put in our bodies at the expense of the FDA and all the other yahoos are ridiculous. What, folks are supposed to take diet pill for the rest of their life…… eat pre-packaged diet foods for the rest of their life…… I have weighted as much as 210 lbs. (on a 5-3 frame) and eventually learned and accepted that it’s healthy food choices and daily exercise that will allow me to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle… hopefully others will accept this too!
The federal drug administration,approvesmany things that kill people.Check things out for yourself. Splenda is not good for you,yet they approvedit,and many more to, numerous to mention!!!!!
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I think people should talk seriously with their doctors about diet pills. All too often people see an ad and blindly buy the product. Or go see their doctor and request (and receive) a prescription with little thought given.
I bet a majority of the people who said “No” are the ’skinny people.’ I don’t think its right for the FDA to disapprove of people wanting to lose 2-3 pounds. Some people value their weight loss very much.
And to all that suggested healthy dieting education programs… I don’t think the kids would choose healthy green, icky food over their sweets and yummies! Think about it -_-’ They tend to follow their “id’s.” America’s just too full of luxurious foods.