Do you have pounds to lose? If you are seriously thinking about shedding weight, there are three proven levels of intervention, that depends on the individual needs that help in weight loss.

These three interventions are:
Intervention 1: Lifestyle changes
Intervention 2: Medications
Intervention 3: Surgery

If changing your diet and exercise habits has been failed to help you achieve the results you hoped for; weightloss medication could be an option.

However, it is quite important to seek out a physician that help you with selecting the right drug based on your medical history. None other than a professional could help you with managing the risks and benefits of multiple drugs states Sue Cummings; a registered dietitian who was the coordinator of the clinical program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center for the past 20 years.

The weight loss medications are typically indicated for those who have the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with the health conditions like high blood pressure, or type 2 diabetes. For example, a person with 5 feet 8 inches height and 200 pounds of weight would have a BMI of 30.4. There are multiple tools available online that can help you calculate your BMI.

Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian said that though there are exceptions, in general, that’s where we start treating people.

According to Aronne, who co-authored the Endocrine Society’s clinical practice guidelines for the pharmacological management of obesity-“since there is a broad range of medications available so, finding one that will work the best is always almost possible.”

While identifying the right match key, as a drug may or may not be appropriate for someone depending on their health history. For example, if an individual has high blood pressure that is uncontrollable than you won’t be prescribing phentermine stated Aronne.

The FDA approved weight loss drugs

If in case you are looking for a weight loss drug that should work for almost 2 years then there should proven facts associated with the drug supporting its data that it is safe to use and will work well.
In addition weight management could be considered effective for weight management, if after one year of treatment a minimum of 35% of those in the drug group loses at least 5% of their weight.

The weight loss drugs that get the approval for long-term use include orlistat (brand name Xenical) lorcaserin (Belviq) and liraglutide (Saxenda) as well as the combination drugs naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave) and phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia).

According to the recent study, these drugs have helped overweight or obese people to lose at least 5% of their body weight, with the ending year- that’s at least 10 pounds if you weigh 200 — compared with a placebo. Qsymia and Saxenda were linked with the highest odds of achieving that amount of weight loss.

However, losing 5% to 10% of body weight helps in improving blood pressure, triglycerides and blood sugar, and all of those factors that lower the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Later, Aronne asked- “A lot of people will say, ‘Wow, 5% of body weight, that doesn’t sound like a lot of weight loss,’ but an average weight loss of 5% reduces your risk of developing diabetes by 50%. That sounds much better now, doesn’t it?”

Aronne disclosed relationships that involved research, funding and advising with some of the approved obesity drug company and the companies that make the weight loss devices.

Sone of the medicines come with off-label, that means for a use other than what it was approved for. Looking to read more about How do they work? Factors that should be considered? Read it here.