Pharmacotherapy for Obesity — Promise and Uncertainty

In 2005, a majority of adult Americans are overweight or obese,1 putting millions of them at increased risk for serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and certain forms of cancer. In obesity, a weight loss of 5 to 10 percent can significantly improve risk factors for obesity-related diseases2 and delay or prevent type 2 diabetes in persons at high risk.3 Behavioral treatments can result in a weight loss sufficient to improve health for many patients, but often the weight is regained over time.4 Although for many people a reduction in weight is difficult to achieve, maintaining . . .