Here is an interesting counter opinion so to speak......
Experts say over-the-counter diet drug is no silver bullet
by
Kris Wise
Doctors and diet experts are warning that an over-the-counter diet drug just approved by the federal government could be a distraction for West Virginians striving to change the state’s obesity rate one pound at a time.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just this week put its seal on Orlistat, a reduced-strength version of the popular prescription weight-loss drug Xenical.
It’s the first time the federal agency has approved an over-the-counter drug to help people lose weight.
When the pill makes its debut on store shelves, the name on its packaging will be “Alli.” It’s expected to cost $1 to $2 for one day’s dose.
Echoing a warning by federal officials, some local weight loss experts said the product should not be used as a stand-alone approach to taking off pounds.
“One thing a lot of the public is going to get into trouble with is thinking it’s the panacea,” said Dr. Robert Shin, director of the Weight Loss Center at Charleston Area Medical Center.
“When you look at the studies, for people who do not change eating behaviors, who don’t develop healthy habits and get more active, the drug is not as effective.”
Dr. Kathleen Mimnagh, director of the hospitalist program at Charleston Area Medical Center, has helped at least one local elementary school — her daughter’s — develop programs aimed at improving student eating habits.
She said an easily accessible product like Alli could divert attention from long-term answers to society’s problem of obesity.
“It’s a good adjunct, but it’s only part of the solution,” Mimnagh said of the over-the-counter pill. “There’s a much bigger picture to look at.
“I’m not a believer in this quick fix,” she said. “I think we should be targeting a lot of other facets of the problem, from our fast-food restaurants to designing cities and towns that encourage activity to trying to use the vehicle of schools to shape better eating habits.”
The state already is struggling with how to reshape many residents’ skewed perspectives on nutrition and exercise.
West Virginia right now has one of the highest obesity rates in the nation.
The long-term effects of the problem — including increased rates of diabetes and heart disease — have caused the state’s insurance and medical costs to skyrocket.
Even as long as five years ago, the state’s Medicaid program estimated it spent as much as $140 million annually on obesity-related medical and prescription expenses.
In an effort to cut those costs, Medicaid has begun a new reward system that encourages people to eat better and exercise more.
Now, about 75,000 of the state’s poor and elderly who receive Medicaid benefits also will be able to enroll in the Weight Watchers program for free, thanks to recent changes in the system.
The West Virginia Healthy Lifestyle Coalition, created in 2003 and funded by a nonprofit group grant, also works to promote changes in eating and exercise habits, specifically in early childhood, to prevent people from becoming overweight in the first place.
“I guess people are always looking for that silver bullet, but our efforts still are going to focus on educating people about portion sizes, smart nutrition and physical activity,” coalition director Helen Matheny said Thursday. “We really aren’t going to get into the medication aspect of it.”
Alli, pronounced ‘Al-eye” and named to evoke the idea that the pill will be a dieter’s ally, works by blocking the absorption of a portion of fat in food eaten by a person. Up to 200 calories a day can be cut as some fat is sent straight through the intestinal tract.
Medical professionals and government officials acknowledge the pill can have some side affects, namely gastrointestinal pain and diarrhea.
Shin, at the CAMC Weight Loss Center, said the center does recommend the prescription-only Xenical — the precursor to the over-the-counter drug — for some overweight patients.
But it’s only one part of a multi-dimensional approach to getting healthy.
“We don’t prescribe it right away,” Shin said. “When you look at all the criteria, you have to change behaviors first and then medications or surgeries can help you on top of that.”
Studies show that in most cases, a drug such as Alli might add up to a 10 percent weight loss if combined with proper diet and exercise.
Shin said some patients who have taken the stronger, prescription version of the drug have complained about the gastrointestinal side effects.
The most common complaint is about severe gas, he said.
Shin urges people to find out as much as they can about how the drug works, and when it might be most effective.
He said people who get too many calories from sugars or carbohydrates might not benefit as much as others because, again, the pill reduces just the absorption of fat in the body.
“It could help when you go out and eat a big, fatty meal,” Shin said. “But if they eat too much carbohydrates, they aren’t going to lose weight just because they take this pill.”
Mimnagh said she worries that increased availability of the drug will send the wrong message to young people who should be learning early lessons about healthy living and moderation. “It takes a village to change this, and it’s more than just a diet pill,” Mimnagh said. “The patients all seem to want a quick fix, but is this just going to let them continue eating unhealthy foods? These are questions we have to answer.”
Diet Pill