title: Metformin: an Old Therapy that Deserves a New Indication for the Treatment of Obesity.
abstract: Metformin is not currently used for weight loss or diabetes prevention because it lacks an FDA indication for obesity and/or pre-diabetes treatment. Based on the evidence, metformin has been shown to decrease the incidence of type 2 diabetes, and compares favorably to other weight-loss medications in terms of efficacy as well as safety. Thus, metformin should be considered for a treatment indication in patients with these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. lei9004@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Igel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Nutrition and Weight Management Center and Nutrition Support Service, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Apovian
authors.affiliation: UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization, UnitedHealth Group, Minnetonka, MN, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vojta
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Aronne
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008687:Metformin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D008687:Metformin
keywords: Diabetes prevention; Metformin; Obesity; Pre-diabetes