BELVIQ-A new Weight Loss Strategy on the Market

BELVIQ: A New Weight Loss Strategy on the Market

Researched and written by:  Jessica Pashko, UVM Dietetics student

Editted by: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CD

Are diets and exercise not enough? If you are someone who has been struggling with weight loss for more than a year, then you should consider talking to your registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and physician about BELVIQ. Sometimes you just need that extra push to help you meet your goals. If you are ready for change and to commit to diet and exercise, BELVIQ may be what you need.

Accompanied with diet and exercise, BELVIQ works as an adjunct to effectively lose weight. BELVIQ is a great solution for individuals who struggle with weight loss because it helps to successfully breaks through the common weight loss plateau.

To test BELVIQ’s effectiveness, the FDA conducted a 52 to 104 week study with 8000 overweight and obese individuals. Participants were asked to pair BELVIQ with a low calorie diet and exercise. Roughly 47 percent of participants lost 5 percent of their body weight compared with only 23 percent of participants who took a placebo..  Similarly, in participants who had type 2 diabetes, 38 percent treated with BELVIQ lost at least 5 percent of their body weight compared to only 16 percent who took the placebo. Moreover, type 2 diabetes participants treated with BELVIQ had favorable changes in their blood sugar control.  

How does BELVIQ work?

BELVIQ is a drug that suppresses appetite and promotes satiety. By incorporating BELVIQ into your diet, you may eat less and feel full longer after eating smaller amounts of food. It works by targeting hunger receptors in the brain and blocks their ability to receive hunger signals. Feelings of satiety or fullness are released. Ultimately, the brain activity decreases food consumption and when paired with a low calorie diet and exercise, weight loss is becomes more of a possibility.

Is BELVIQ right for you?

Qualified individuals are obese, or have a BMI of >30 or a BMI of >27 with at least one co-morbidity, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, or type II diabetes. Recommendations to discontinue use of BELVIQ will be recommended if 5% of weight loss is not met after the first twelve weeks (New Weight-loss).. You should only consider BELVIQ if you are ready to make changes to your lifestyle that emphasize eating less and moving more. BELVIQ is not recommended for everyone. If you are pregnant or nursing, it is not advised to take BELVIQ.  

Are you ready to try BELVIQ?

Successful weight loss strategies combine healthy food choices within appropriate calorie ranges that support physical activity.  If you are a person who has been struggling with weight loss for more than a year or have reached a weight loss plateau, then a conversation with your RDN and physician about BELVIQ would be suggested. Sometimes you just need that extra push to help you meet your goals.

References:

1. US Food and Drug Administration and US Department of Health and Human Services. FDA Approves BELVIQ to Treat Some Overweight or Obese Adults. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2012.

2. Coleman, Eric MD. New Weight-loss Drugs Offer Promise in the Fight Against Obesity, But They’re Not for Everyone. FDAvoice. http://blogs.fda.gov/FDAvoice/index.php: Published July 27, 2012. Accessed March 7, 2015.