An Evaluation of Dinitrophenol as an AId in Weight Reduction

Much attention has been directed in recent years to the reduction of the weight of obese subjects. The removal of fat deposits is dependent on the creation of a deficit between the daily intake and the daily output of energy. This deficit can be obtained either by a reduction of intake or by an increase of output. In the past year a new group of chemicals, of which the principal one is alpha-dinitrophenol (1-2-4), has been advocated as a method of securing weight reduction by increasing the energy output.¹These drugs have an advantage over thyroid extract in the absence of certain side reactions such as tachycardia and palpitation. It therefore becomes desirable to discover the practical value of the use of dinitrophenol²by observation of its effect on the weight change of obese patients who have been placed on carefully established regimens and to compare these results