Garcinia cambogia for weight loss

Obesity is a complex disease defined by excess body fat.1 The prevalence has been increasing for decades, and approximately 69% of U.S. adults were overweight or obese in 2014.2 Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25–29.9 kg/m2, and obesity is defined as a BMI of ≥30 kg/m2.1 The health consequences of obesity are substantial, with patients experiencing increased risks of morbidity from psychiatric conditions, respiratory problems, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer, in addition to an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease. Based on a review of the literature, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the Obesity Society suggest that a loss of only 3–5% of body weight may provide clinically meaningful reductions in triglycerides, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and that greater amounts of weight loss may improve other lipid parameters and blood pressure.1 Although such modest weight loss can be achieved with lifestyle changes, improvements in diet and exercise habits are often difficult for patients to initiate and maintain. Alternative therapies may be appealing because they are readily available and often heavily publicized as natural, safe, and effective. In a survey reported in 2007, approximately 15% of Americans had tried a dietary supplement for weight loss.3 Some common products for this use include chromium picolinate, chitosan, glucomannan, and Garcinia cambogia.4 In particular, G. cambogia has received much attention in the media recently.