Research
Hormonal
Pharmacotherapy for obesity is generally recommended only for individuals with BMI >27 kg/m2 and serious comorbidities who have failed diet and exercise, and most drugs are for short-term use.
If you have a BMI over 27 and serious health issues like diabetes, and lifestyle changes haven't worked, talk to your doctor about prescription weight loss drugs. These are for short-term use and work best when combined with diet and exercise. Avoid over-the-counter supplements as their effectiveness and safety are not proven.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
According to the National Institutes of Health, pharmacotherapy agents are recommended for individuals who have been unable to achieve weight loss goals with diet and physical activity alone, have a body mass index (BMI) >27 kg/m2, and exhibit serious obesity comorbidities such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Why this rating
Based on NIH guidelines and FDA approvals cited.
Source
A Review of Evidence‐Based Strategies to Treat Obesity in Adults
Deepika Laddu et al. · Nutrition in Clinical Practice · 2011
DOI 10.1177/0884533611418335
narrative_reviewCited 101×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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