OCD pills could be a weapon in the war on obesity

Trials found people who took citalopram were more likely to pick healthy food
The drug is prescribed for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder
Study at Warwick Business School could help in tackling the obesity crisis

Paul Dinsdale For The Mail On Sunday

Published:
17:00 EDT, 1 April 2017

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Updated:
17:02 EDT, 1 April 2017

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A common antidepressant could be used to help people with compulsive eating habits choose healthy food instead of fatty snacks, scientist have claimed.

In a series of trials researchers found that when people took citalopram, prescribed for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), they were more likely to pick healthy food such as fruit over chocolate biscuits.

Ivo Vlaev, professor of behavioural science at Warwick Business School, who led the study, said the discovery could help in tackling the obesity crisis.

The trials found that when people were taking the tablets, they were more likely to make healthy food choices

Data suggests that 63 per cent of adults in England are overweight or obese – a problem that costs the NHS £5.1 billion a year.

‘These findings also have implications for treating eating disorders,’ added Prof Vlaev. ‘We found that citalopram increased the number of choices for healthy foods made by people when compared to a placebo. Our trials suggest that after taking the drug, people are more likely to make decisions based on health rather than taste.

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‘It appears to give people the long-term focus needed to consider how food will impact on their health, rather than the short-term decision to go for what tastes better.’

In the study, researchers gave a pill to 27 adults and asked them to choose between pairs of snacks shown on a screen, ranging from fruit to chocolate biscuits. Sometimes there were two healthy options, sometimes two unhealthy foods and sometimes one of each.

Ivo Vlaev, professor of behavioural science at Warwick Business School, who led the study, said the discovery could help in tackling the obesity crisis. File image

The pill was either a single dose of atomoxetine, a tablet used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); citalopram; or a dummy pill with no active ingredients (placebo).

Citalopram works by lengthening the time the ‘feelgood’ brain chemical (neurotransmitter) serotonin is held by the synapse in the cell, so prolonging its action.

The researchers found that, when taking citalopram, as much as 60 per cent of the participants’ choices were healthy, while just 45 per cent of them were healthy when taking the placebo. The number of healthy choices made taking atomoxetine was not significantly higher.