"Taking Them Just to Lose Weight"...6 Out of 10 Diet Pill Users Are Not Obese

Survey by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs
73.5% of Users Experience Side Effects
Over Half Report Yo-Yo Effect

It has been found that about 6 out of 10 people taking oral appetite suppressants, commonly known as "diet pills," are using the medication for weight loss even though they are not obese.

According to the report "Public Awareness and Policy Tasks on Pharmaceutical Abuse," published by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on March 16, researchers surveyed 257 adults aged 19 to 64 who had experience taking oral appetite suppressants between 2022 and 2025, focusing on their use of diet pills.

The survey found that the most common reason for taking oral appetite suppressants was "to lose weight without being diagnosed as obese," cited by 59.5% of respondents. This was followed by "being diagnosed as obese by a doctor and taking it for treatment" at 34.6%, "upon recommendation from others" at 8.9%, "being diagnosed with conditions such as hypertension or diabetes and taking it for treatment" at 8.6%, and "out of curiosity" at 3.9%. (Multiple responses were allowed.)

Regarding the duration of oral appetite suppressant use, 45.9% took the medication for three months or less, 37.0% for more than three months but less than one year, and 17.1% for more than one year.

The clinical guidelines of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity specify that oral appetite suppressants should be used for a short period in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or 30 or higher who are classified as obese. However, it appears that these guidelines are not being properly followed in practice.

Pharmaceutical abuse increases the risk of drug-induced side effects. A total of 73.5% of respondents reported experiencing side effects from taking diet pills. Physical and psychological side effects included dry mouth (72.0%), palpitations (68.8%), insomnia (66.7%), depression (25.4%), personality changes (23.8%), and anxiety (22.8%). Three respondents (1.6%) said they had experienced suicidal impulses.

Among the respondents, 53.4% experienced the yo-yo effect, meaning their weight increased again after stopping the use of diet pills. Since oral appetite suppressants are classified as medical narcotics, there is a risk of dependence and addiction.

After experiencing side effects, 54.0% of users resumed taking the medication after a certain period of discontinuation. Additionally, 22.8% continued taking the medication despite side effects, while 23.3% stopped taking the medication due to side effects.

The report emphasized, "There needs to be wider awareness that using pharmaceuticals outside the scope of prescribed or intended purposes poses a risk of abuse," adding, "It is necessary to establish intervention mechanisms for high-risk pharmaceutical abusers and to provide counseling services for pharmaceutical abuse and addiction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.