The holidays can be a difficult time for individuals struggling with their weight.
Among overweight Americans, 25 percent dread the holiday season and 56 percent find it more difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle during this time of the year, according to Vivus.
For some individuals, diet and exercise are not enough to lose the weight and they require medical intervention.
Individuals who are obese, or who are overweight with a serious health condition that impacts their weight such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, may undergo bariatric surgery.
About 35.7 percent of the adult population in the United States is obese, according to the CDC.
Now a new option is available for weight loss for individuals who are obese or overweight having at least one weight-related condition.
Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate extended-release), made by Vivus, is a once-a-day FDA-approved medication that when combined with exercise and diet can help individuals lose significant weight.
It is the first daily combination therapy approved by the FDA.
One of the ingredients of Qsymia, phentermine (an appetite suppressant), has been used for short-term weight loss along with exercise and diet, according to the FDA.
The FDA news release stated that in two trials of Qsymia, individuals had an average of 6.7 percent of weight loss after one year of treatment with the recommended daily dose, and 8.9 percent of weight loss after one year of treatment with the highest daily dose, over treatment with a placebo.
Among individuals who did not lose at least 3 percent of their body week after 12 weeks of treatment, the FDA stated that they were unlikely to “achieve and sustain weight loss with continued treatment at this dose.”
EmpowHER talked to Tim Church, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D, Professor of Preventative Medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University about weight management around the holidays and why he prescribes Qsymia to his patients.
EmpowHER also talked to Gwendolyn, who has decided to take Qsymia to help her lose weight.
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