Orlistat, the intestinal lipase inhibitor available until recently on prescription as Xenical (Roche), was reclassified by the European Medicines Agency in October 2008 to PoM-P (prescription only medicine to pharmacy) status in October 2008. In January 2009, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) received marketing authorisation in the EU for Alli ® (orlistat 60 mg) as a non-prescription weight loss aid to dieting.

The UK website for Alli ® contains information for patients, and also a link for heathcare professionals. This agent has already been available in North America and elsewhere recently. Orlistat 60 mg (Alli) three times a day is approved for use if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is > 28 kg/m².

The Department of Health in England is promoting the newly launched Change4Life initiative (http://www.nhs.uk/change4life). The stated aim is "bringing together health and education professionals, industry and the third sector with the shared aims to improve children’s diets and levels of activity so reducing the threat to their future health and happiness". An advertising campaign began on 3 Jan 2009.

This website is evolving. Thus far, we have worked towards bringing together at one site the outlines of the various aspects of frontline clinical obesity management. There are many more aspects and approaches that we plan to introduce and develop. We would also like to provide a platform to share the large amount of clinical knowledge and experience that has already been accumulated by individual professionals striving to help their patients.