Diet Drugs Work Because They Make Dieters Eat More Healthily

Dieters who lost the greatest amount of weight on diet drugs also cut down the amount of fatty junk food they consumed, researchers discovered.
However, certain people responded differently to taking the drugs, using them in order to eat more unhealthy food like crisps and chocolates .
This study looked at the data of 572 people who had been prescribed the diet drug Orlistat by their GP, an extensively used pill.
This is commonly known as Alli. In 2009 it became became available over the counter at chemists for people considered overweight or obese .
The drug works by reducing the amount of fat absorbed by the body.
However, this fat is then eliminated in bowel movements, which can cause disagreeable side effects.
The University of Surrey research team undertook this study and found that the idea that Orlistat works not only on a physical level, but also psychologically, encourages people to understand their diet as a cause of their weight problem. Additionally, the side effects are so unpleasant that people shun eating fatty foods and thus lose weight .
The way in which certain participants responded to Orlistat was astounding. Specific participants stated that their eating behaviour became considerably unhealthier over six months. Yet these participants were not taking the drug as they ought to have done. People were taking orlistat as a lifestyle drug, opting to take it when eating foods higher in fat to reduce any weight gain or not taking it when going on holiday or out for a meal as they don’t wish to experience the effects of eating fatty foods.
The average weight loss on these diet pills was nearly 10lb over six months. GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturers of Alli, stress that the drug ought to only be used as part of an overall diet programme, which also focuses on healthy eating .