Key Questions About Pharmacological Obesity Therapy

When Are Weight Loss Medications Prescribed?

Prescription of medications for obesity therapy in adults is recommended in two cases: if body mass index (BMI) exceeds 30 kg/m² or exceeds 27 kg/m² with risk factors and comorbidities present. These include arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Pharmacological therapy is used in combination with lifestyle modification and does not replace but rather complements dietary habit correction and physical activity. According to clinical guidelines of the Russian Ministry of Health for treating obesity in adults, therapy is effective and may be continued only if body weight decreases by at least 5% from baseline during the first 3 months.