In a randomized, two year study, the drug metformin was associated with a statistically significant drop in body mass index among teenagers, according to Dr. Darrell Wilson of Stanford University.
In the study, researchers compared the effects of treatment with metformin combined with healthy diet and exercise changes to treatment with lifestyle intervention alone. The study included 77 obese teenagers over 48 weeks, with an additional 48-week follow-up period.
The results showed that the BMI of teenagers who received the drug decreased 0.9 after 11 months, compared to a 0.2 increase in the group that was given a placebo and only made lifestyle changes.
These findings indicate that metformin may play an important role in the treatment of adolescent obesity, but researchers caution that long-term studies will need to be done to prove the overall effectiveness of the pill. As of now the only proven effective treatment for childhood obesity is combining a healthy diet and regular exercise.
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:59 am
I was the Director of a drug rehab program for nine years. The concept of using a drug (any drug) to overcome a lifestyle problem is ridiculous. All drugs should be used as little as possible!
I am on metformin myself because I am diabetic. I am seriously thinking of going off of it because of side effects. Every substance you put in your body has side effects! Especially if you take too much of it. The side effect of too much food is obesity. Surprise! Surprise!
With all substances going into your body the secret is this: Take only as much as you need and no more! Obese people don’t NEED metformin.