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Dr. Kim Mulvihill ReportingAre you searching for a magic pill to help you shed those unwanted pounds? If so, you are not alone. A new survey finds one-third of dieters have tried "something" to make things go a little easier.
Experts say the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to do it slowly -- a pound or two a week.
When it comes to dieting one thing is certain, it's big business -- Americans spend a billion dollars a year on diet aids. A new telephone survey sheds interesting light for consumers and doctors alike.
Whether it's a pill, powder or cream, one in three dieters have tried dietary supplements of unproven benefit, hoping to burn fat, boost metabolism or melt pounds away, all without doing the work of diet and exercise.
Sales of two popular categories -- over-the-counter appetite suppressants and diet-related meal replacements like shakes and bars -- amounted to 322-million dollars in 2005.
Consumers also spent 244-million dollars on prescription weight loss drugs last year. The survey found of those who did see a doctor and were prescribed weight loss medication, 34 percent were not told to change their diets, and 40 percent were not told to exercise.
Those were not the only missed opportunities. In this survey, 40-percent of obese respondents and 72-percent of those who are overweight said their doctors had never advised them to lose weight.
It's important to note the survey was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the prescription diet drug Xenical, which will soon be available over-the-counter.
