prescription amphetamines for weight loss

In the 18th century, sugar consumption increased twentyfold and by the 19th century, diet pills had become big business. This wasn’t due to choice, and as global trade grew, a greater proportion of the population had access to a wider range of foods.

Obesity-related illnesses and death were the preserve of the wealthy, and poorer people often ate far healthier diets than their richer counterparts. Some extra weight had, up until that time, been a sign of prosperity due to the implication that heavier people could afford a richer diet. The poet, Lord Byron was an early proponent of thinness as a fashion statement. It was around Victorian times that image became the primary driving force behind the pursuit of weight loss. Diets up until industrialisation, however, were focused primarily on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and living longer. History of Diet PillsĮvidence that humans have practised dieting goes back to the Ancient Greek times. If a person or their loved one is aware of this type of use, a serious conversation with an expert should take place. Unsupervised use of any kind of diet pill is not recommended by any medical professional in the United Kingdom.

(5) Fast-food adverts, celebrity endorsements for exercise regimes and relentless marketing campaigns have encouraged a confused consumer culture that exploits human beings’ most fundamental desires. In spite of a growing drive to obtain physical perfection, 64% of adults in the country are overweight or obese. The diet industry is nonetheless worth $2 billion in the United Kingdom alone and celebrity endorsements, Instagram culture and constant advertising drive these sales.

There is currently only one type of diet pill that is licensed for prescription in the United Kingdom, orlistat, and this is only offered in extreme cases. (1, 2, 3) While they were prescribed arguably too freely in previous years, there has been a steady decline in their official availability in the United Kingdom since the 1980s. They have been around for approximately 200 years and have been the subject of various controversies. Diet pills are medications that are used as aids to help people lose weight.

Prescription amphetamines for weight loss