Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Xenical Approved for Children
Aired December 17, 2003 - 14:4 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Obesity is on the rise, especially among younger children. Now doctors are hoping that the prescription drug Xenical can help the scales. It's already approved for use in adults and it's now been approved for teens. Our medical correspondent Holly Firfer has details on this. It's hard enough just being a kid.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Believe it or not, 15 percent of children are overweight. That puts them at risk for Type II diabetes, heart problems, other diseases.
Now the FDA has approved a new tool to treat childhood obesity. After two new studies, the weight loss medication Xenical has been approved for use in adolescents ages 12 to 16, making it the first FDA prescription for weight loss in kids.
Now in one study, they did, researchers followed 357 overweight kids in that age group, 12 to 16 who took Xenical and also ate a low- calorie diet. They compared them to 182 kids of the same age who took the same diet but a placebo.
The study found Xenical helped kids lose weight, reduce their BMI, and they were less likely to gain weight than others their same age.
So how does this drug work? Xenical blocks the absorption of about one-third of the fat that you eat by blocking an enzyme that's needed to digest that fat. But, this means that you must eat a low- fat diet because there are side effects and they're not pleasant.
They include bloating, flatulence and incontinence. And the more fat in the diet, the worst the side effects can become.
Another study found that although some of the food eaten would not be absorbed by the body, the vitamin and mineral intake would not be lacking -- would be lacking in children's diets. But the doctors say that's not true. They still get that vitamin intake, but they do recommend taking vitamin supplements anyway.
Another concern, children's growing bodies. At a time of their life when they're adding to their bone bank, their skeletons are growing. Could this lead to long-term problems like osteoporosis? The study showed there was not any harmful effect on bone metabolism.
The bottom line is it does work. But doctors say the weight loss drug has its effects, but it's most important to teach children healthy habits, a balanced diet and exercise.
PHILLIPS: Of course. Well, it's a magic pill for kids or is it not that easy?
FIRFER: Don't you wish?
PHILLIPS: Yes, really.
FIRFER: It's not a magic pill because they can't guarantee that, A, it will work on every child, or even that these children will not have to take it long-term, that when they go off, they might not have to gain that weight back.
So really important to teach kids well-balanced diet, exercise to keep themselves healthy. The good news is it does work.
PHILLIPS: All right, Holly, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 17, 2003 - 14:4 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Obesity is on the rise, especially among younger children. Now doctors are hoping that the prescription drug Xenical can help the scales. It's already approved for use in adults and it's now been approved for teens. Our medical correspondent Holly Firfer has details on this. It's hard enough just being a kid.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Believe it or not, 15 percent of children are overweight. That puts them at risk for Type II diabetes, heart problems, other diseases.
Now the FDA has approved a new tool to treat childhood obesity. After two new studies, the weight loss medication Xenical has been approved for use in adolescents ages 12 to 16, making it the first FDA prescription for weight loss in kids.
Now in one study, they did, researchers followed 357 overweight kids in that age group, 12 to 16 who took Xenical and also ate a low- calorie diet. They compared them to 182 kids of the same age who took the same diet but a placebo.
The study found Xenical helped kids lose weight, reduce their BMI, and they were less likely to gain weight than others their same age.
So how does this drug work? Xenical blocks the absorption of about one-third of the fat that you eat by blocking an enzyme that's needed to digest that fat. But, this means that you must eat a low- fat diet because there are side effects and they're not pleasant.
They include bloating, flatulence and incontinence. And the more fat in the diet, the worst the side effects can become.
Another study found that although some of the food eaten would not be absorbed by the body, the vitamin and mineral intake would not be lacking -- would be lacking in children's diets. But the doctors say that's not true. They still get that vitamin intake, but they do recommend taking vitamin supplements anyway.
Another concern, children's growing bodies. At a time of their life when they're adding to their bone bank, their skeletons are growing. Could this lead to long-term problems like osteoporosis? The study showed there was not any harmful effect on bone metabolism.
The bottom line is it does work. But doctors say the weight loss drug has its effects, but it's most important to teach children healthy habits, a balanced diet and exercise.
PHILLIPS: Of course. Well, it's a magic pill for kids or is it not that easy?
FIRFER: Don't you wish?
PHILLIPS: Yes, really.
FIRFER: It's not a magic pill because they can't guarantee that, A, it will work on every child, or even that these children will not have to take it long-term, that when they go off, they might not have to gain that weight back.
So really important to teach kids well-balanced diet, exercise to keep themselves healthy. The good news is it does work.
PHILLIPS: All right, Holly, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
