OFFICIAL NAMES: Benzphetamine (Didrex), dexfenluramine (Redux), diethylpropion (Tenuate, Tenuate dospan, Tepanil), fenfluramine (Pondimin), mazindol (Sanorex, Mazanor), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), orlistat (Xenical), phendimetrazine (Bontril, Plegine, Prelu-2, X-Trozine), phentermine (Adipex-P, Fastin, Ionamin, Oby-trim), sibutramine (Meridia)

STREET NAMES: Methamphetamine: Speed, crank

DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS: Schedule II, III, and IV, stimulant

Overview

The use of diet pills to lose weight is a twentieth-century phenomenon that carried over into the twenty-first century. During earlier centuries, society regarded plumpness as a sign of good health. Up until the late nineteenth century, a full figure indicated financial status, because a plump person could afford to eat.

An 1880s American drawing portrayed a woman asking her doctor for advice about a "fattening cure" to help her gain weight. A sign on the doctor's wall showed a list of "Flesh Forming Ingredients" that include cocoa extract and French chocolates.

The First Diet Pill

Attitudes about...