Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Obesity is a multifactorial disease which poses a serious public health problem, with an alarming epidemic character. The increase in bodyweight is associated with an increased risk of excessive fatrelated metabolic diseases including diabetes

Methods: We conducted an observational study to evaluate the clinical effects of orlistat in obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), adhering to low calorific diet limited to 1000–1100 kcal per day, moderate aerobic exercise of at least 150 minutes per week. We evaluated 100 consecutive patients during four visits (4, 6 and 12 months) over one year (June 2018–May 2019) in age group 21–40 years, adherent to orlistat 120 mg thrice daily. Educational interventions for the importance of the healthy lifestyle were provided periodically. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. ANOVA and unpaired t-test was used for the statistical analysis

Results: The mean age was 27.8 years (s.d. ± 8.51), with 46% less than 30 years. The mean baseline weight (kg) and HbA1c (%) was 88.7 (s.d. ± 14.06) and 8.2 (s.d. ± 2.11), respectively, which reduced to 68.02 (s.d. ± 10.29) and 6.3 (s.d. ± 1.15); P < 0.001. The patients (n = 34) with the lowest calorie intake (1000–1100 kcal/day) and with highest duration of exercise (> 75 minutes per day) (n = 14) achieved the maximum weight loss of 28.92 and 28.71 kg, respectively (P = 0.006 and 0.001). The mean reductions at 4, 6 and 12 months in the body weight and HbA1c compared to baseline were 6.3, 14.5, 20.68 kg and 1.05, 2.17, 1.95% respectively (P < 0.001)

Discussion: We observed a direct relationship for the benefits for the weight loss associated with the daily duration of exercise and the inverse relationship for the weight loss and calorie intake. Sustained lifestyle management as an adjuct to the orlistat therapy in young patients with T2DM, provides favorable benefits for the glycemic and metabolic parameters which may be attributed to improved adipocyte function and may go beyond the efficacy in weight reduction. The results of our study need to be corroborated with a large multi-centric trial