A diet pill called Alli can help dieters shed 50 per cent more fat than if they embarked on a healthy eating and exercise regime without it is being made available “over the counter” in Britain for the first time this week, after being considered safe for use without prescription by the government.

It works by absorbing about 25 per cent of the fat from food, thereby preventing it being turned into fat on the body.

Tablets will be available to adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 kg/m² or over, following a quick consultation with a pharmacist.

Makers GlaxoSmithKline said all pharmacists in the UK have been offered training to help them correctly identify a person’s BMI and ask them suitable “fielding” questions regarding their motivation for taking the drug.

• Alli (also known as Orlistat) has side effects including diarrhoea.
• A month’s supply of tablets costs 49.95 GBP while two weeks’ supply will be sold at 32.95 GBP.
• You have to be fat enough (over 28 kg/m² )
• The Pharmacist will quiz you at the counter

• CLIPPED FROM: “‘Miracle’ diet pill goes on sale“, ITN via Yahoo! News, 2009-04-20.