November 30, 2017
An anti-obesity drug should be considered only for those with a body mass index (BMI, individual’s body-weight divided by the square of the individual’s height) of 30 kg/m2 or greater in whom at least 3 months of managed care involving supervised diet, exercise and behaviour modification fails to achieve a realistic reduction in weight. In the presence of risk factors (such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnoea), it may be appropriate to prescribe a drug to individuals with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater, provided that such use is permitted by the drug’s marketing authorisation.