Drugs for obesity are last resort treatment

Appetite suppressant drugs should be prescribed as a last resort and only to patients who are clinically obese and respond rapidly to them, say new guidelines designed to crack down on the inappropriate use of slimming drugs.

The report, compiled by an expert working party of the Royal College of Physicians of London, concludes that treatment with anti-obesity drugs is appropriate only for people with a body mass index greater than 30 who fail to reduce their weight by 10% after three months determined effort with diet, exercise, and behavioural change.