*5.5. Drugs*

In combination with lifestyle interventions, the only medication for the treatment of obesity in youth 12 years and older approved by FDA is Orlistat. However, it should be used with caution in the presence of ED psychopathology to avoid misuse as a purging agent [87,88]. Orlistat is the only available anti-obesity drug that does not involve the mechanisms of appetite. It induces weight reduction via the inhibition of lipases in the mucous membranes of the stomach, small intestine, and pancreas, thereby preventing the breakdown of triglycerides into fatty acids and their absorption in the intestines [88].
