Nearly one in 10 adolescents globally have used a non-prescription product for the purpose of weight loss, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. These results were yielded from a meta-analysis of over 90 studies, representing a total population of 604,552 participants under the age of 18.
 
The study was co-authored by Bryn Austin, professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED).
 
In recent years, STRIPED has been advocating for legislation to restrict the sale of supplements marketed for weight loss or muscle building to teens, and several state legislatures have introduced bills modeled after STRIPED’s recommendations. Just a few months ago, New York became the first state to pass such a bill into law.
 
Austin, and co-authors from Deakin University and Monash University in Australia, analyzed data tracking adolescent use of non-prescribed weight loss products, such as “diet pills,” laxatives, diuretics, and “fitness supplements.”
 
Of note, because “diet pills” isn’t an FDA-recognized product category, and dietary supplement industry advocates contend that this term could conflate legally compliant dietary supplements with both legal and illegal drugs. As such, the use of the term “diet pills” in weight loss restriction bills and in clinical studies has been a common sticking point in the ongoing debate, because without further information, it’s difficult to determine what kinds of products the term references. The present study, in its definition of “diet pill,” does include dietary supplements intended to aid in weight loss.
 
Study Details
 
“A concerning weight control behavior, and the focus of this meta-analysis, is the adolescent use of weight-loss products (including drugs and dietary supplements) for weight control or reduction without a physician’s prescription,” the authors wrote, noting that to date there had been no systematic review or meta-analysis to determine the overall proportion of adolescents using non-prescribed weight loss products.
 
“Better understanding of the prevalence of weight loss product use in adolescents and adolescent subgroups may allow for policy developments, further research, and targeted education strategies among particular at-risk groups.”
 
2% of adolescents worldwide have used nonprescribed weight-loss products in the past week, 4% in the past month, 6% in the past year, and 9% in their lifetime, and usage was higher among girls than in boys, according to the authors.
 
According to the authors, there was a correlation between girls’ use of non-prescription weight loss products and reported low self-esteem, parental influence to lose weight or parental dissatisfaction with weight, self-body dissatisfaction, peer groups who value thinness, and media or social media influences promoting unrealistic beauty standards.
 
Lifetime prevalence of “diet pill” use was highest (6%), followed by the use of laxatives (4%) and diuretics (2%).
 
“This is concerning because of the mental and physical health risks associated with the use of these medical products that are not intended for weight loss but are often used as weight loss products,” the authors wrote. “Equally alarming is the ease of access of these products without a prescription, without a physician’s orders, and without restrictions or regulations for those 18 years or younger. This emphasizes the need for increased regulation and restriction to be placed on nonprescription weight loss products, especially for individuals 18 or younger.”