People can now access ‘game changer’ weight loss medication at their local Boots pharmacy.
The injection treatment can now be prescribed and may help with weight loss when combined with a balanced diet and moderate exercise.
According to LeicesterLive, doctors are raving about the jab as it may play a vital role in tackling the obesity crisis throughout the country.
In Scotland, 66 per cent of adults aged 16 and over are classed as overweight, according to a Scottish Government report.
More than 35 million people across the UK are either overweight or obese which makes Britain the most obese nation in Europe, according to official figures NHS figures.
UK-wide NHS costs attributable to overweight and obese individuals are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050, according to official Government statistics.
Meanwhile, diabetes – type 2 of which is often by-product of being overweight – already costs the NHS £1.5million per hour.
How does the weight-loss jab work?
For the first time, people can achieve through medicine what was only possible through weight-loss surgery.
Saxenda works by mimicking a hormone called GLP1, that is released after eating a filling meal.
By posing as the hormone, the jab suppresses your appetite, meaning you will hopefully eat less.
Saxenda is injected once a day under the skin, recommended to be administered to the abdomen, the front of your thighs or your upper arm. It gets to work almost immediately and you should see the effects within two weeks.
When combined with a low fat food plan and modern levels of activity, users of Saxenda should expect to lose 5 percent of their body weight over three months.
However, it is important to stress that Saxenda is a weight-loss aid and not a cure that works without major dietary and lifestyle changes.
How to get weight-loss jab at pharmacies
To get access to the weight-loss jab at the likes of Boots and Lloyds Pharmacy, you have to meet certain criteria that changes depending on the individual.
In most cases you have to be 30 or above on the Body Mass Index scale and tried other methods of losing weight before being accepted for Saxenda.
You can apply for an quick online consultation here, where you will be asked questions just like a traditional appointment at you GP.
The questionnaire asks you about your medical history and symptoms. Your answers help their experts assess your suitability for treatment.
If accepted, you can pick up your jabs in store or have them delivered for free to your home. Saxenda comes in a 3ml pre-filled injection pen, with a single pen lasting 17 days and a pack of three covering 4.5 weeks.
A pack of three pens costs £150, while a pack of five is priced at £240.
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