60% of South Korea’s diet pill users aren’t obese: Report

The study also raised concerns about the risks of prolonged use of diet pills. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SEOUL – South Korea’s social preference for slim body types has led many people who are not medically obese to take diet pills.

Such users account for nearly 60 per cent of diet pill takers in the country, according to a report released on March 16 by a state research institute.

The study also raised concerns about the risks of prolonged use, warning that many users experience significant side effects, including insomnia and clinical depression.

“Social pressure to diet, the expansion of mass media, the competitive, market-oriented healthcare system and the commodification of appearance have combined to shape both the perception and the reality of medication misuse,” a researcher at the institute said.

The report warned that the drugs can cause a range of side effects, and many users continue taking them despite the risks.

Among those surveyed, 73.5 per cent said they had experienced side effects after taking the medication. Insomnia was reported by 66.7 per cent of respondents, while 25.4 per cent said they experienced depression, suggesting the drugs can have serious psychological consequences.