WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS

Marie Spreckley, nutritionist and owner of London Weight Loss Clinic*, says, ‘In the quest to lose weight quickly, dieters are increasingly resorting to buying diet pills online. These “miracle” pills promise to boost your metabolism, turn your body into a fat-burning machine, melt your fat off and shed pounds as fast as possible. Online diet pills do not need to pass regular safety regulations and can have an array of side-effects, ranging from diarrhoea, unstoppable bleeding, blurred vision to heart problems. In the end it is important to remember that a magic pill simply does not exist and weight loss can only be achieved by consuming less calories than you burn. Remember, your life is more important – you could end up severely disabled, wishing a few pounds were all you had to worry about.’