Body mass index (BMI) is being used to gauge need for the new obesity drug, Belviq.
BMI is the measurement of body fat based on your height and weight. There are BMI calculators online that help you determine your current body mass index. For someone who is 5’10” and weighs 150 pounds, BMI = 21.52.
The ranges for BMI are as follow:
Approval Of Belviq
The United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) approved Belviq over a year ago, but the drug has just now made its way to the marketplace. The main reason was that the Drug Enforcement Agency (the DEA) needed to further review the oral medication.
Is this new obesity drug helpful or harmful?
The drug is intended to be used in addition to a healthy diet and exercise plan. It sounds helpful, but the problem with that is, how often do people who are chronically obese and suffering from health issues make dietary and exercise changes? Isn’t that why diet pills and other weight loss programs are so successful?
Additionally, the drug promises to reduce calorie intake by suppressing appetite and making the user feel full sooner while eating. Isn’t this a diet pill then? How long can a pill really make a difference in a healthy way?
Trials Of Belviq
In trials of Belviq, the drug provided modest weight loss. On average, patients went from 220 pounds down to 207 pounds. Seems helpful, but at what risk? The possible side effects of Belviq are: heart valve problems, headache, dizziness and fatigue, according to the FDA. In diabetic patients, side effects included pain and low blood sugar.
According to the drug’s website, "It is not known if Belviq changes your risk of heart problems or of stroke, or death due to heart problems or stroke.”
Help People Lose Weight?
If this pill can help people lose weight to avoid procesdures like gastric bypass, or from suffering a heart attack or heart failure, then maybe in the long-run, Belviq is more helpful than harmful.
After the mandatory clinical trials, and possibly a large part of our population using the drug though, is Belviq going to prove medically harmful? It seems that a life of unhealthy eating and exercise habits cannot simply be corrected by a pharmaceutically manufactured pill.
Personal Decision
You be the judge. If you were diagnosed with obesity, and another life-threatening disease, would you make the decision to use a drug like Belviq? Is losing 10 or 20 pounds worth the list of potential side effects? Prevention for any disease is best, but when obesity is already a part of the picture, maybe Belviq is what will help countless overweight people start a new life.
Jared Friedman is the Quality Improvement Manager for Sovereign Health Group, a dual diagnosis treatment center, helping people recovery from addiction and behavioral issues like weight management, learn more by visiting their website sovcal.com
BMI is the measurement of body fat based on your height and weight. There are BMI calculators online that help you determine your current body mass index. For someone who is 5’10” and weighs 150 pounds, BMI = 21.52.
The ranges for BMI are as follow:
- Underweight - anything below 18.5
- Normal - between 18.5 and 24.9
- Overweight - between 25.0 and 29.9
- Obese - 30.0 and over
Approval Of Belviq
The United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) approved Belviq over a year ago, but the drug has just now made its way to the marketplace. The main reason was that the Drug Enforcement Agency (the DEA) needed to further review the oral medication.
Is this new obesity drug helpful or harmful?
The drug is intended to be used in addition to a healthy diet and exercise plan. It sounds helpful, but the problem with that is, how often do people who are chronically obese and suffering from health issues make dietary and exercise changes? Isn’t that why diet pills and other weight loss programs are so successful?
Additionally, the drug promises to reduce calorie intake by suppressing appetite and making the user feel full sooner while eating. Isn’t this a diet pill then? How long can a pill really make a difference in a healthy way?
Trials Of Belviq
In trials of Belviq, the drug provided modest weight loss. On average, patients went from 220 pounds down to 207 pounds. Seems helpful, but at what risk? The possible side effects of Belviq are: heart valve problems, headache, dizziness and fatigue, according to the FDA. In diabetic patients, side effects included pain and low blood sugar.
According to the drug’s website, "It is not known if Belviq changes your risk of heart problems or of stroke, or death due to heart problems or stroke.”
Help People Lose Weight?
If this pill can help people lose weight to avoid procesdures like gastric bypass, or from suffering a heart attack or heart failure, then maybe in the long-run, Belviq is more helpful than harmful.
After the mandatory clinical trials, and possibly a large part of our population using the drug though, is Belviq going to prove medically harmful? It seems that a life of unhealthy eating and exercise habits cannot simply be corrected by a pharmaceutically manufactured pill.
Personal Decision
You be the judge. If you were diagnosed with obesity, and another life-threatening disease, would you make the decision to use a drug like Belviq? Is losing 10 or 20 pounds worth the list of potential side effects? Prevention for any disease is best, but when obesity is already a part of the picture, maybe Belviq is what will help countless overweight people start a new life.
Jared Friedman is the Quality Improvement Manager for Sovereign Health Group, a dual diagnosis treatment center, helping people recovery from addiction and behavioral issues like weight management, learn more by visiting their website sovcal.com
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