TUESDAY, Aug. 21, 2001 (HealthDayNews) -- While obese women are far more likely to use over-the-counter diet aids, a new study shows that a small but significant number of women with healthy figures take the supplements, too.
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed nearly 14,700 adult residents of Iowa, Michigan, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Florida about their use of nonprescription diet aids between 1996 and 1998. Fewer than half were of healthy weight, while a third were somewhat overweight and a fifth were obese.
Overall, 7 percent -- 3 percent of men and 11 percent of women -- said they took some form of nonprescription pill, powder or liquid-meal substitute to help them shed pounds in the previous two years. The findings appear in the Aug. 22/29 Journal of the American Medical Association.
Obese women were about 3.5 times more likely than women of normal weight to use nonprescription supplements, the study says. About a third of people taking prescription diet aids said they also used over-the-counter versions, as did 14 percent of others trying to lose weight.
The figures suggest that roughly 17.2 million Americans -- most of them women -- used over-the-counter weight loss supplements in the two-year study period, the researchers say. Supplement use didn't vary much by racial or ethnic group, but people with a high school diploma were more likely to report buying the products. People who reported being physically active were more likely to say they took supplements.
"Although many dietary supplements marketed as weight-loss products receive extensive media attention
, for most substances there is yet little evidence of effectiveness for long-term weight loss," says lead study author Heidi Blanck, a CDC epidemiologist. "Therefore, for long-term weight control management, it is most important for individuals to eat a balanced diet and obtain moderate amounts of physical activity."
Many women appear to be taking diet aids not to lose pounds but to maintain their weight, Blanck says.
The study also found that 2 percent of adults took PPA and 1 percent took ephedra, two related and potentially life-threatening supplements. Most of those were women. PPA until last year was a common ingredient in many over-the-counter remedies, from diet aids to cold medications, but manufacturers removed the substance after studies suggested that women who took it faced a sharp, sudden increase in their risk of strokes.
Blanck says ephedra use among diabetics in the study raises a particular concern because it can trigger a loss of blood-sugar control. Especially worrisome would be taking the substance without consulting a doctor, she says.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cautioned against the use of ephedra products by diabetics and patients with heart disease, high blood pressure and other illnesses, and has asked for a warning label urging consumers to seek medical advice before taking them.
"Patients should tell their health-care providers about their use of both prescription and nonprescription weight loss products, as there is a potential for herb-drug and drug-drug interactions," Blanck says.
A government study earlier this year said six in 10 Americans now use dietary supplements. Many scientists have expressed their concern about the figure, since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 exempts diet aids from regulatory scrutiny and pre-market safety tests.
What To Do
If you're considering diet supplements to help lose weight, consider this first: "The safest and most effective method of losing weight is a balanced diet, using [the U.S. Department of Agriculture's] food pyramid as a guideline, and adopting an active lifestyle, incorporating regular physical activity into your schedule most days of the week," Blanck says.
And if you feel you still need supplements, be sure to consult your doctor before taking them, she says.
For the pros and cons of getting nutrients through supplements, as well as the dangers of obesity, check the American Dietetic Association.
For more on ephedra and its risks, go to the FDA.
To learn more about obesity, a problem that affects one in four adults and one in five children in this country, visit the American Obesity Association.
