Americans Fall Prey to Weight-Loss Supplement 'Hype'

Many mistakenly believe these products are tested and safe, survey finds

By Bruce Sylvester
HealthDay Reporter

Related Encyclopedia • Abdominoplasty • Acidophilus • Ankle Sprains • Antioxidants More... Related Healthscout Videos Hungry Heart Power Out Fat Soy - Many Forms, Many Benefits Soy - Health Benefits Explained More... Related Drug Information • Klor-Con • Klor-Con ER More... Related News Articles • U.S. Schools Getting Better at Boosting Kids' Health • FDA Panel Recommends Ban on Cold Medicines for Kids • Pre-Workout Stretching Won't Prevent Sore Muscles • FDA Panel Weighs Ban on Kids' Cold Medicines More...

FRIDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- American adults think weight-loss supplements are safer and more effective than they actually are, researchers report in a new national survey.

More than 60 percent of the 1,444 telephone respondents, all of whom had made significant efforts to lose weight, mistakenly said that such supplements have been tested and are proven to be safe (65 percent) and effective (63 percent).

Text Continues Below

---

Over half (54 percent) wrongly stated that such supplements are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"FDA-approved drugs for weight loss have gone through years of testing with thousands of patients to prove that they are safe and effective. Supplements have not," said Thomas Wadden, president of North American Association for the Study of Obesity-The Obesity Society. "And this survey sounds the alarm that most Americans have the wrong idea about the safety and efficacy of these supplements."

There are currently no over-the-counter drugs for weight loss approved by the FDA.

The survey, conducted by the University of Connecticut's Center for Survey Research & Analysis (CSRA), was presented this week at the Obesity Society's annual meeting, in Boston.

The poll was funded by drug maker GlaxoSmithKline, which makes the prescription weight loss drug orlistat, brand named Xenical. Earlier this year, GlaxoSmithKline received conditional FDA approval for an over-the-counter version of the drug, to be sold as Alli.

Other significant findings of the survey include:

• 34 percent of Americans who have tried to lose weight have used dietary supplements in one or more attempts, double the number who have used FDA-approved prescription medications.
• Supplements are used by a higher proportion of blacks (49 percent) and Hispanics (42 percent) than whites (31 percent)
• Only 30 percent of respondents said that they would speak to a physician about losing weight, even though 87 percent of them have a primary-care physician and 92 percent see their doctor at least once a year.

Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>