n CME : Your SA Journal of CPD - Update on pharmacotherapy for weight control and obesity : main topic

Abstract

Recent paradigm shifts in the understanding of obesity have led to the inclusion of weight loss drugs for treatment. These include a recognition that obesity is a true disease with genetic determinants (not a 'character flaw'), that it is a major public health threat, and that weight regain occurs after discontinuation of weight loss medication. <br>Pharmacological treatment of obesity is based on three possible principles: reduced food intake via appetite-regulating mechanisms in the brain, reduced gut absorption of dietary fat, and increased energy expenditure. <br>There is increasing evidence that obesity is a chronic disease, and as such, long-term pharmacotherapy may be safe and appropriate for some individuals.