weight loss information
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Weight Loss Pills - Suitable Treatment for Obesity?The quest for effective weight loss pills has dominated pharmaceutical research and two drugs - Xenical and Reductil - are approved for NHS use. Many people, though, think we need to place greater emphasis on eating less. It is not that simple, says Dr Ian Campbell, chairman of the British National Obesity Forum and adviser to the parliamentary committee on obesity. "Inherited susceptibilities, environmental influences, other diseases and pressure from food manufacturers, supermarkets, advertisers and the media interact to influence weight gain - or loss," he told doctors at the European Congress on Obesity in Helsinki last weekend. "Losing weight can be incredibly difficult, and I am convinced that there are some patients who, despite their best efforts, cannot lose significant amounts without medication. Research shows that the weight-loss drugs help patients to lose weight and significantly reduce cardiovascular and other health risks." However, some doctors who took part in a British Medical Association survey last year categorised obesity as a non-disease. But Dr Campbell disagrees: "Many people who are not involved in helping patients face-to-face find it hard to understand that there is only so much that individuals can do by themselves. "Obesity is a disease. It is time to stop blaming patients for being greedy and lazy."
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