DESPITE ALL OF the efforts by researchers and all of the hard work on the part of dieters, the vast majority of obese Americans find themselves unable to lose weight and keep it off. The temptation, therefore, is to try other measures, some of which are of only questionable safety and effectiveness.

Appetite suppressants

Since the direct cause of obesity is the taking in of more calories than are used, it is natural to conclude that reducing a person's appetite should help control weight. Faced with repeated diet failures, many overweight Americans dream of losing weight quickly and painlessly through the use of medications and other products. Although science has yet to come up with the miraculous cure for obesity, many overweight people pin their hopes on one of the drugs designed to suppress appetite. The...