Obesity is a global issue with increasing evidence that overweight and obesity are associated with a higher chronic disease risk. Despite over 10 years of government recognition of a need to develop and implement effective prevention strategies, all age groups are getting fatter with overweight becoming the `norm'. Modest weight loss reduces many of the risk factors that accompany obesity, notably type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Adherence to lifestyle changes required to achieve these improvements is poor and progressively more weight-loss medications are used as adjunctive therapy, while bariatric surgery is performed for the severely obese.
Currently available pharmacotherapy shows encouraging benefits in clinical trials but remains unproven as an effective strategy to support long-term weight loss and weight maintenance and for translation of improved surrogate risk markers into fewer cardiovascular events and a longer life. Three large clinical trials are ongoing in an attempt to answer this question. Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis 2008; 8: 170—176
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