Abstrait

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of orlistat,a lipase inhibitor, in the treatment of adolescent weight excess

Roberto Bogarin and Jean-Pierre Chanoine

The treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity is diffi cult and the outcome of behavioral interventions remains unsatisfactory. Several pharmacological approaches, used in conjunction with comprehensive behavioral interventions designed to improve diet and decrease inactivity have been developed and extensively studied, mainly in adults. Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor that reduces dietary fat absorption by a third. It is the only pharmacological agent approved in the pediatric age group for the treatment of obesity. The goal of this article is to review the effi cacy and safety of orlistat in adolescents, with emphasis on its effects on weight and body mass index, body composition and liposoluble vitamins during growth.