Belviq: New Weight Loss Drug Approved in US

Need to lose some bodyfat? For the first time in 13 years, the FDA has approved a new weight loss drug -- one it initially rejected a couple years ago. Experts believe the move is part of the government's attempts to help control the skyrocketing obesity epidemic in North America.

According to Cowen & Co analyst Simos Simeonidis:

"It appears that the agency's view has officially shifted towards 'not treating obesity is a risk in and of itself, so we're willing to put drugs in the market in order to help people lose weight, even if there's risk associated'."

Belviq is the brand name for lorcaserin and it's expected to become a billion-dollar product within a short amount of time. The new diet drug works by altering "hunger" signals in the brain, so users feel full on significantly less calories. In clinical studies, users lost five percent of their bodyweight (about 12 lbs) on average -- not a huge amount of weight but enough to make a big difference in the health of obese patients.

Belviq is only approved for use in obese adults with a BMI of 30 or more or in those with a BMI of 27 or more who have at least one health problem related to their weight. So if you're overweight and have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc you can qualify for a Belviq prescription from your doctor.

We say: These weight loss drugs almost always have side-effects that make them a dangerous way to lose weight. Clean eating and regular exercise is a MUCH better option for those of use who need to lose a few pounds!

Learn some mo': FDA OKs first obesity drug in 13 years