Introducing New Anti-Obesity Drugs Not the Solution to Rising Obesity Rates

Even as the US Food and Drug Administration announced its approval for two new obesity drugs, health experts in the United States said that introducing new obesity drugs is not enough to bring down the rising obesity rates in the country.

The FDA said that it has approved two new drugs, Qysmia and Belviq, making them the first weight loss drugs to be approved in over 13 years.

Both the drugs are known to cause some serious side effects with Qysmia linked with high blood pressure and heart disease while Belviq may lead to "serotonin syndrome", which increases the level of serotonin levels, or causes memory problems.

Regardless of the benefits of the two drugs health experts believe that making lifestyle changes continues to be the most reliable way of reducing excess weight. Says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City, "The bottom line is there's no such thing as a magic pill and I hope that individuals do not think by taking this pill that it will ensure long-term weight loss. We need to be reminded that diet and exercise are still critical."


Source: Medindia