Slimming pills and lifestyle advice ‘effective for weight loss’

The next slimming aids could be anti-obesity drugs that scientists have said could be effective if mixed with lifestyle advice.

University of Leicester researchers reviewed 94 previous studies, and found that the combination of slimming pills and lifestyle advice was effective when it came to lowering both body mass index and weight.

Lifestyle advice by itself was linked to weight loss after six and 12 months, when anti obesity drugs were added the results were much more significant.

However, two of the drugs being assessed – sibutramine and rimonbant – had to be withdrawn from the analysis due to possible side effects.

Lead author Dr Laura Gray, whose findings were published in the journal Obesity Review, said: “The effectiveness of the withdrawn interventions – sibutramine and rimonabant – suggests that more effective drugs may be available in the future if the side effect risk can be alleviated.”

Would you try slimming pills to lose weight?