The Off-license weight loss pills are prescribed for children

There has been widespread alarm after new statistics showed that the number of prescriptions of the weightloss drugs Xenical and Reductil being made for children has risen 15-fold over the past 10 years.

Researchers from University College London believe that some 1,300 young people are being prescribed orlistat or sibutramine – the medical name for Xenical and Reductil – each year. This is despite the fact that both slimming pills are not meant to be given to under 18s, meaning that many doctors are prescribing the medications off-license.

The study was published in the British Journal of Pharmacology and looked at the use of orlistat, sibutramine and rimonabant – the now-banned slimming pill Acomplia – in people up to the age of 18. The researchers particularly used data saved on the UK General Practice Research Database between January 1999 and December 2006.

Overall the study showed that 453 under-18s were given 1,334 prescriptions over the period covered. Most were issued to over-14s, though there were 25 prescriptions recorded that were written for children aged under 12.

Most of the prescriptions were for Xenical, in total 78.4% of the total. Recently a lower-dose version of Xenical went on sale named Alli and there have been some questions about whether any under-18s have managed to buy Alli from their local pharmacy.

Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum suggested to the BBC that over-the-counter sales of Alli might make the use of prescription drugs for weightloss more common. He said, “It seems to me that we are ignoring measures to prevent our children becoming obese and then turning to drugs as a treatment of choice when they should be a last resort.

"That borders on criminal because it means that all the messages about healthy eating and exercise for reducing weight are just being tossed aside by GPs and primary care."

A further worry about the study was that it showed that 45% of the youngsters stopped taking Xenical after only a month, well before the pills had a chance to take effect. The same was true for 25% of those on Reductil.

The researchers were not sure whether this was due to people experiencing adverse side effects – Xenical is known to cause flatulence, oily stools and even uncontrollable bowel movements.

Rupert Viner, who co-authored the study, said: “It's possible that the drugs are being given inappropriately, or that they have excessive side-effects that make young people discontinue their use.

“On the other hand, they could be expecting the drugs to deliver a miracle 'quick fix' and stop using them when sudden, rapid weight-loss does not occur."

About the Author:
Andres Hudson is freelance writer. Who has written many Article on Orlistat. For more information on Reductil and Weight Loss pills, he recommends you to visit http://www.theonlineclinic.co.uk/