Diet Drugs

Introduction

With a growing market of billions of dollars a year, diet drugs are steadily becoming a trend in America. This may be viewed as a good thing for the economy, but may not be a great thing for society. Research has been done to prove and disprove the claims made by some of these money-making companies. There are definitely boundaries, and some of the lines that have been crossed are not so thin. This paper will explain some of the pros and cons of consuming these "diet pills," giving background information as well as both practical and scientific outlooks.

Body image and perception is a main cause of the recent surge in diet drug sales. In 1980, about 45% of U.S. adults were overweight or obese. That rose to 55% in 1990 (Findlay, 2003). According to Steve Findlay, a health policy analyst in Washington, the proportion of overweight adults in America was 65% (half of whom are obese, meaning about 30 pounds or more above a healthy weight for their height). The statistics on children are also following the rising trend. Fifteen percent of 6- to 19-year-oldsÐ'--about 9 millionÐ'--are overweight, which rose 10% when compared to a decade ago. The price tag is about $120 billion a year in medical expenses and lost productivity (Findlay, 2003).

More and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity could be a reason America is getting bigger. According to ObesityInAmerica.org (2007) there are some facts that should be taken into account. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight. Sixty million are obese, with a BMI greater than 30. Nine million are extremely obese, with a BMI of over 40. Currently, an estimated 65.2 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, and 15 percent of children and adolescents are overweight and 30.5 percent are obese. Approximately 62 percent of female Americans are considered overweight. Approximately 67 percent of male Americans are considered overweight. Poor diet and low physical activity leads to an estimated 400,000 deaths, attributable mainly to poor diet and low physical activity, per year.

If America is one of the richest, most progressive countries in the world, this country should sensibly also be one of the healthiest. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the disease of obesity is increasing at an alarming rateÐ'--60% in adults within the past twenty years, to amount to one-third of the population (and the death rate climbing, second only to tobacco-related deaths). With obesity come other physical effects including the added risk of diseases. Some of these are: elevated blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and cancers such as breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Some of the psychological or mental effects include depression, feelings of shame, and lowered self esteem among other mental conditions, which are also linked to obesity. Information taken from the Weight-control Information Network reports that health experts say losing as little as 10 to 15 percent of overall body weight will dramatically decrease a person's risk of developing any of these serious conditions. Many people may resort to diet drugs as a short cut to their weight loss regime (Weight-control Information Network).

Different Options

The types of diet pills can be divided into two categories: prescription-only diet pills and over-the-counter diet pills. Prescription pills are regulated by the FDA, so their side effects are monitored and they can be prescribed for certain conditions and in certain dosages. Some examples of diet drugs include brands like: Meridia (Sibutramine), Xenical (Orlistat), Adipex, Bontril, Didrex, and Tenuate. These drugs are designed for patients suffering from extreme obesity (BMI of 30 or higher), according to MayoClinic.com. If these dieters have already failed to lose weight on a normal plan, diet pills should not be turned to as an easy answer to these weight problems. Instead, it is recommended that they work on their motivation to stick with an orthodox weight loss program including exercise.

The fastest growing industry dealing with weight loss is the OTC diet pills and weight loss pills (Raloff, 2002). A 2001 study reported that 7% of American adults use non-prescriptive weight loss products (Harvey, 2001). In the year of 2002, over $30 billion was spent on weight loss products and services (Cleland, 2002).

Within this category of weight-loss products are herbal supplements, and other pills that claim to be natural and healthy. There is a variety of OTC diet aids which are available without a prescription, which can be found in health and nutrition stores as well as regular grocery stores. There are also types of diet "aids" that are administered in different ways, such as a patch, in powder, or in liquid form. The main categories of OTC diet drugs and supplements include ingredients such as: Herbal ephedra, caffeine, guarana and country mallow, all which reportedly increase metabolism (Saper, 2004). Other ingredients are guar gum, glucomannan and psyllium, which cause a "full" feeling. Hydrocitric acid, green tea, conjugated linoleic acid and pyruvate slow fat production, and Chitosan (or chitin - substance found in the exoskeleton of shrimp and other shellfish) block fat from being absorbed (Saper, 2004.).

A potential problem with the consumption of these drugs is that they are classified as food supplements rather than diet drugs, so they are basically unregulated. Because of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, manufacturers are not required to provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with proof of safety and efficacy before marketing supplements (Saper, 2004). The purity is another issue, and patient education (or lack thereof) can also make these dangerous. Manufacturers of these OTC drugs and supplements do not put claims, guarantees, or precise dosages on their labels, thus they are not subject to Federal regulations and do not go through the same rigorous testing process as the prescription pills (Raloff, 2002).

Serious side effects including death have been associated with OTC pills because of the powerful amphetamine-like properties some of them include (Watson, 2004). Now most diet drug companies are coming up with pills that work on the brain to suppress appetite, and also ones that work in the gut to inhibit the amount of fat and calories ingested. Even though these are better than ones containing amphetamine, there are still associated risks because of their lack of regulation.

Side Effects

The side effects vary, particularly since many of the pills may contain a variety of ingredients,