Top doctor warns against using diet pills to help lose weight

Fat burning supplements could cause heart problems and unwanted pregnancies warns NHS England medical director

NHS England said diet pills, detox teas, and appetite suppressants were often ineffective and could be harmful. (Getty)

Using diet pills to lose weight as part of a new year's resolution could lead to heart problems and unwanted pregnancies, NHS England’s top doctor has warned.

Professor Stephen Powis urged people too avoid quick fix solutions to help them get fit and lose weight in 2020, warning some are “too good to be true”.

As medical director of NHS England, he said it was right for people to try and get fitter and healthier but that many high street fads were harmful or, at best, ineffective. ​NHS England says diet pills, detox teas, and appetite suppressants are all best avoided.

Products claiming to help people lose weight quickly while reducing appetite and fatigue can have damaging side effects including diarrhoea, heart problems and even cause unplanned pregnancies by interfering with oral contraception, the NHS said.

Prof Powis said: “It’s always a good time to try to get in shape, and new year’s resolutions are a great time to make a change, but the reality is there’s a slim chance of success with diet pills and detox teas – and people could end up doing more harm than good.

“Making new year goals and shifting a few excess pounds after Christmas can be a good idea but is much easier to maintain when done gradually and safely.”

Earlier this year Scotland’s food standards watchdog issued a warning about the use of diet pills after the deaths of 26 people were linked to the use of DNP, also known as 2,4-dinitrophenol, which is sold illegally online as a fat burning food supplement.

Social media firms including Instagram and Facebook have restricted endorsements of risky products including so-called get-fit-quick endorsements by celebrity accounts after concerns they were influencing young people.,

NHS England has issued its own practical tips to helping people keep to their new year resolutions.

These include:

• Lose weight with the NHS's own 12-week weight loss plan.
• Quit smoking by using the free NHS Smokefree app.
• Boost fitness with Couch to 5K, Strength and Flex and the NHS Fitness Studio support.
• Drink less alcohol by tracking your drinking.