Obesity is a medical condition characterized by excess body weight that is more than 20% of the normal body weight of an individual. Obesity can be measured by a tool known as Body Mass Index (BMI). A person having a BMI of between 25 and 30 is considered to be overweight, while a person with a BMI of 30 can be characterized as obese. Obesity is linked to a number of serious medical conditions and can lead to reduced life expectancy as well as a poor quality of life. Some of the causes of obesity include factors such as age, gender, genetics, surrounding environment, lack of physical activity, psychological conditions, illness, as well as the side effects of certain medications.

Kinds of obesity treatments
Obesity can be treated with the help of a number of effective treatments that help you achieve a healthier body weight. The treatment that best suits you depends on your overall health, the level of your obesity as well as your willingness and ability to participate in a given weight loss programme. Any weight loss program you participate in should incorporate only those changes that you think you can stick to in the long run; therefore it is imperative that you choose a programme carefully.

Some of the most popular obesity treatments include exercise and other forms of physical activity, dietary changes such as a reduced calorie diet, behavioural modifications such as cutting down on binge eating, weight loss surgery and taking prescription or over the counter weight loss medications. Weight loss surgery is only prescribed in extreme cases where the patient is unable to lose weight with the help of other conventional treatments. Prescription weight loss drugs are recommended to be taken as part of a holistic weight loss program that also include exercise and a low calorie diet.

Slimming pills
Commonly known as slimming pills, prescription weight loss medications can only be recommended for people suffering from clinical obesity who have experienced no benefits from traditional weight loss techniques. Slimming pills can be prescribed for individuals having a BMI of 30 or more, or for those having a BMI of 27 or more if they also suffer from obesity-linked health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes or obstructive sleep apnea. However, these medications are unlikely to be effective if used only for cosmetic purposes or if you do not incorporate other lifestyle modifications for weight loss.

Weight loss medications can help you lose weight in a number of ways such as appetite suppression, boosting metabolic rate, inhibiting fat absorption, etc. These medications are generally available in the form of pills as well as extended release tablets that discharge the medication over a longer duration of time. Appetite suppressants work by manipulating the levels of serotonin or catecholamine in the brain so that you experience feelings of satiety by eating a small amount of food. Fat absorption inhibitors prevent the absorption of dietary fats in the digestive system and assist in weight loss. Metabolism boosters help to increase the rate at which your body burns the ingested calories.

What is Xenical?
Consisting of the active ingredient orlistat, Xenical is one of the most popular prescription weight loss pills on the market. Xenical is different from other slimming pills because it does not act in the brain or the central nervous system. Instead, it works in the digestive system to prevent the absorption of about one third of the ingested dietary fats. This is done by restricting the action of lipase - an enzyme that helps to convert dietary fat into fat tissue. The undigested fats are gradually eliminated from the body through bowel movements.

Like other weight loss pills, Xenical can only be prescribed for people having a BMI of 30 or more or those with a BMI of 27 or more along with other obesity linked medical conditions. Xenical cannot be prescribed if you are allergic to orlistat or to any of the other ingredients of this drug. Inform your doctor if you suffer from conditions such as gall bladder disorders or chronic malabsorption syndrome. Xenical cannot be taken in combination with other weight loss medications.