More Than One Third Of Americans Cannot Separate Help From Hype

[Guest guest]

More Than One Third Of Americans Cannot Separate Help From Hypehttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92795.phpSome describe New Year's as the " world championship " of weight loss, as

adults are bombarded with weight-loss claims and promises. For millions

of well-intentioned dieters, the chaos can result in confusion,

frustration and, ultimately, disappointment. According to a new

survey of 2,058 adults, conducted in late November by

Interactive® on behalf of GlaxoKline Consumer Healthcare (NYSE:

GSK), 52 percent of Americans say they plan to make a serious attempt

to lose weight in 2008. But as January approaches and the drumbeat of

quick and easy weight-loss promises grows louder, these individuals can

become increasingly confused about what to believe.

To help overweight adults distinguish fact from fiction at this pivotal

time of year, alli® is providing free access to thousands of hours

worth of weight-loss advice from healthcare professionals. As the

Interactive survey shows, dieters value such support, but rarely

take advantage of it: three quarters (73 percent) of U.S. adults who

plan to make a serious attempt to lose weight in 2008 believe that

outside help from a dietitian, pharmacist or other healthcare

professional would help them achieve their weight-loss goals, but only

a fraction (17 percent) of these adults plan to seek such support.

From January 4 - 7, 2008, alli will sponsor " Make This Year Different, "

a weight-loss event designed to ease some of the barriers to seeking

expert advice on weight-loss issues and to help overweight adults

benefit from the counsel of healthcare professionals. This guidance may

help to make this year different for anyone who has tried ineffective

weight loss strategies in the past, or who is simply confused by the

influx of weight-loss claims at this time of year.

Individuals can visit http://www.MakeThisYearDifferent.com

between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST for live online chats with

dietitians or pharmacists, in private or group chat room discussions.

The Web site will also feature diet and exercise videos and answers to

common questions about the alli weight-loss program.

Separating Weight Loss Help from Hype

When it comes to weight-loss products, U.S. adults who plan to make a

serious attempt to lose weight in 2008 have considerable knowledge

gaps, particularly with regard to appetite suppressants, herbal

products and dietary supplements.

These products are not required by the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) to submit safety or efficacy studies, or to include warnings

about potential side effects on their labels; however, the

Interactive survey shows:

Three in five (58 percent) think these products are at least somewhat effective.

One-third (37 percent) incorrectly believe these products were approved

for safety and effectiveness by the FDA before being sold to the public.

Two in five (44 percent) mistakenly assume the government requires

warnings about potential side effects on the labels of these products.

In fact, the survey found that about 18 million adults who want to lose

weight this year will rely on products that have not been reviewed and

approved by the FDA before being sold to the public.

Nutrition Business Journal, a trade publication, reports that Americans

spent an estimated $1.6 billion on weight-loss supplements in 2005.

Given this level of investment, there should be no confusion over what

they are getting for their money, says Reeves, DrPH, RD, a GSK

consultant who is past president of the American Dietetic Association

and managing director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at

Baylor College of Medicine.

" Weight-loss supplements claim to deliver extraordinary results with

less effort than more traditional behavioral changes, such as diet and

exercise, " says Reeves. " However, there is scarce scientific data

available to validate these product claims, which is unfortunate for

the 66 percent or so of American adults who are overweight and obese. "

Burton, vice president, weight control, for GlaxoKline

Consumer Healthcare, the maker of alli, says that " Make This Year

Different " will provide important information that dieters might not

otherwise get.

" Millions of overweight and obese Americans are incredibly frustrated

with their efforts to lose weight, and unrealistic expectations and

false hope feed that frustration, " says Burton. " Our goal is to give

dieters the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and to help

them identify weight-loss strategies that are safe, effective and

proven to help them lose weight. "

GlaxoKline Consumer Healthcare announced in October that it had

sold more than 2 million alli starter packs at retail, and that alli

users are enthusiastically embracing alli and its proven track record

of helping people lose weight gradually. The only FDA-approved,

over-the-counter weight-loss product, alli works by blocking the

absorption of about 25 percent of the fat in the foods people eat,

helping them lose 50 percent more weight than they would through diet

and exercise alone.

About alli® Weight-Loss Aid alli (orlistat 60mg), the

only FDA-approved weight-loss product available to overweight adults

without a prescription, combines a clinically-proven product with a

comprehensive individualized support plan. The alli program encourages

modest, gradual weight loss, known by experts as the best way to lose

weight. alli is to be taken three times a day with meals containing fat

and has been available in pharmacies and mass retailers nationwide

since June 15, 2007.

About GlaxoKline Consumer Healthcare GSK Consumer

Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-the-counter consumer

healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands

include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette®, NicoDerm®

CQ and Commit® as well as many medicine cabinet staples, including

Abreva®, Aquafresh®, Sensodyne,® Tums® and Breathe Right®.

About GlaxoKline GlaxoKline one of the world's

leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies is

committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to

do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com.

About the Survey Interactive conducted this

online survey on behalf of GlaxoKline Consumer Healthcare between

November 26 and November 28, 2007 among 2,058 adults ages 18+, of whom

1,106 are planning to make a series attempt to lose weight in 2008. The

data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult

population. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and

therefore no theoretical estimates of sampling error can be calculated.

For complete methodology, including weighting variables, please contact

Schemelia