When combined with exercise and a reduced-calorie diet, weight-loss pills can have a place in your family's weight-loss efforts. Mayo Clinic warns that many over-the-counter herbal potions are not regulated by a government agency and can have serious side effects you should watch for. While adults may successfully use diet pills to help them lose weight, children should never take them.
Children and Weight-Loss Pills
Underage diet pill use is on the rise as childhood obesity rates soar and kids look for a quick fix, according to the Children's Hospital of Orange County. Diet pills are easy to get in stores and online. Additionally, kids are sharing their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicine with their classmates who get an amphetamine-like effect from the pills that reduce appetite. Stimulants of any kind can cause heart palpitations, insomnia, tremors and seizures if they are not prescribed and monitored by a doctor.
Signs of Weight-Loss Pill Abuse
If you don't know if your family members are taking diet pills to help them lose weight, there are signs you can watch for, according to Helpguide, especially if they are abusing the pills. Watch for signs of unprovoked irritability, nervous behavior and bloodshot eyes. Family members taking diet pills without the benefit of a doctor's plan may have trouble sleeping and refuse to eat even healthy meals. Sudden mood swings and a drop in school or work performance also may signal illegal or inappropriate diet pill use.
Prescription Diet Pills
When used under a doctor's careful monitoring, weight loss pills can play a significant role in helping your family get healthy. Diet pills typically are reserved for the very obese. If family members are experiencing medical problems such as Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure due to their weight, they may need a prescription diet pill to help them stick to a diet. The very obese, with a body mass index higher than 30, can also benefit from medical interventions, such as diet pills. Never share prescription medications with family members.
Other Factors in Weight Loss
Lifestyle changes must accompany any weight-loss program. All your family members can participate in eating healthier meals and exercising regularly. With the help of doctor-prescribed weight-loss medication and food and exercise changes, your family can stay fit as long as they continue with the changes after they are finished taking the pills. A 5 to 10 percent reduction in weight can reduce high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels, according to MayoClinic.com. Lipid and cholesterol levels lower and you increase your sensitivity to insulin, reducing the risk of developing diabetes.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Pills: Do They Work?; February 2010
- Children's Hospital of Orange County; Teens Temped by Diet Pills; Michael Cater; 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Weight-Loss Drugs: Can a Prescription Help You Lose Weight?; October 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Caution Advised With Nonprescription Weight-Loss Pills; November 2008
- HelpGuide.org; Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drug Problems and Substance Abuse; Melinda Smith, et al.
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