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Weight loss pills have recently become a worldwide trend, owing to the easy access and excessive unrealistic beauty standards set in today's world.
Parents and specialists have long been concerned about teenagers utilizing non-prescribed means to lose weight, but they had no clue how widespread the practice was until recently.
According to a new study (reported by CNN), adolescents worldwide, particularly girls, have utilized nonprescription medicines, nutritional supplements, and other weight-loss items at a "high level." Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 90 studies, including over 600,000 people aged 18 or younger (the average age was between 12 and 18).
Diet pills, laxatives, as well as diuretics were among the most commonly utilized non-prescription drugs.
Girls were far more likely than males to explore them out: nearly one in 10 girls had tried a weight loss pill not only throughout their entire lives, but additionally in the previous year.
Scientists estimate that approximately 9% of adolescents in the population as a whole have tried over-the-counter weight-loss remedies throughout their lifetime, with approximately half having used them in the previous month.
More than 50 percent of the investigations were from North America, although there was also research representing Asia, Europe, and various other regions.
The worldwide incidence of unprescribed consumption of weight-loss therapies among kids and teens is assessed in this comprehensive review and meta-analysis.
Adolescent medicine expert had warned of the dangers of diet pills 6 years ago
Dr. Paula Cody, medical director of adolescent medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, had issued a warning about the dangers of diet pills and supplements more than six years ago after hearing too many patients ask about supplements to lose weight or gain muscle. She has expressed her concern that the problem has only grown since then.
“The incidence of eating disorders has increased pretty dramatically after the pandemic. We’ve seen the numbers skyrocket,” she was quoted as saying by CNN. “So I do think that the concern I had before, which was not a small matter then — I’m even more concerned now.”
The authors of the study came to the conclusion that the results suggest:
"Interventions are required to reduce use of weight loss products" in the overall number of teen girls.
The researchers of this study further stated:
"Non-prescribed weight loss products in children are not medically recommended for healthy weight maintenance as they do not work, are dangerous, are associated with unhealthful weight gain in adulthood, and increase the risk of being diagnosed with an eating disorder within several years of onset of use.
"Furthermore, childhood use of non-prescribed weight-loss products has been associated with low self-esteem, depression, poor nutritional intake, and substance use."
The study concludes that more evidence-based medical obesity treatment is required to keep children away from such non-prescription options.
The current study's authors write that it's "alarming" how easy it is to obtain them and that interventions are desperately needed to avoid and control the usage of weight loss medications in this population.
