Taking pills to lose pounds a weighty issue for Lothians

Published on Wednesday 26 March 2008 09:15

THE number of people prescribed weight loss drugs has rocketed in the Lothians, despite concerns about the long-term effectiveness of the treatment.

About 900 people have been put on medication to help them lose weight by GPs in the Lothians in the past year, compared with almost none nine years ago.

The dramatic rise follows the introduction of appetite suppressants Sibutramine and Rimonabant. Orlistat, which inhibits the absorption of fat, was the only weight loss drug being prescribed by Lothian GPs in 1998-9, when the last survey was carried out.

NHS Lothian now spends about 467,000 a year on the three drugs, although that is less than every other Scottish health board apart from the Borders. But nutritionists have warned against seeing the drugs as a quick-fix answer.

Lorna Newlands, manager of The Body Lab in Hawthornbank Lane, Edinburgh, said: "I do see a lot of people who are desperate to lose weight. But once you've been on the drugs for a while and then stop there is the big problem about retaining the weight loss. People will try anything they think will work though."

Some slimming pills which can be ordered over the internet could have unpleasant side-effects, she added. "There are really horrible side-effects to most slimming drugs, such as constantly having to use the toilet," she said.

Her concerns about seeing the drugs as a quick-fix are shared by Chris Oliver, a specialist trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at the ERI, who chose to have gastric band surgery privately after tipping the scales at 26 stone.

He has lost more than eight stone since the private operation and is now leading a very active life, which included taking part in the New Year's Day triathlon.

He said: "I don't think diet drugs are particularly effective. As I understand it they don't work particularly well and result in fairly minimal weight loss.

"A better solution is going on a proper diet and getting plenty of exercise. I just could not lose weight and so resorted to surgery.

"A lot of money is spent on drugs and potentially unnecessarily. There's maybe a small place for them but not without a decent diet and plenty of exercise. People should not only think about the short-term effects and take these while just sitting around in a chair, because it just will not work."

NHS Lothian said weight-loss drugs were prescribed as part of an overall package for patients who were having particular problems losing weight.

Dr Alison McCallum, director of public health at NHS Lothian, said: "We offer support in a number of ways for people struggling with their weight.

"Eating more healthily and increasing the exercise you take remains the mainstay of how people can control their weight.

"For some patients who have already made serious attempts at changing their lifestyles without success, medication may also be helpful. GPs, as expert clinicians, make the decisions on treatment options, together with the patient involved.

"NHS Lothian carefully manages its spending on prescriptions, using less expensive generic drugs wherever appropriate and has the lowest spend on drugs per head of population in Scotland."

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