Balance of Food

You could argue that the news about the FDA panel approving an OTC drug for obesity is good. But I am a little cynical. The drug, known as orlistat, is already sold in prescription form as Xenical. It sounds like olestra in how it works. It absorbs fat, but also vitamins, and causes gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and "oily stools." Besides the fact that the pill is rather expensive, it's not clear how much good it does. It works best on high-fat situations (because of the fat absorption). But if you stop eating those high-fat items, eat better, and get more exercise, the pill won't help that be much greater. Still, it is "progress."