Obesity in childhood a controlled trial of anorectic drugs

Abstract

In a controlled therapeutic trial, 68 obese children were treated successively with (1) amphetamine resinate, (2) phentermine, and (3) diet with placebo capsules. Considerable weight reduction was achieved by all three regimes initially, but the effectiveness of all three tended to wane, especially that of diet. Long-acting amphetamine resinate was the most successful drug. Side-effects were very rare. The long-term prognosis of severe obesity in children still remains unsatisfactory.