With 50% of Europeans officially counted as overweight or obese, there is reason for the weight-loss industry to be rejoicing, and for us to be worrying. On the 25th and 26th of June the 2nd annual Slimming Ingredients 2008 conference held in Berlin, Germany analysed the latest trends and scientific evidence supporting weight loss products on the market in Europe.

According to the event organisers, the conference focussed on new research and development being done in an area that has been criticised for being less than scientifically credible.

Not scientifically tested
In the United States a petition was filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by Glaxosmithkline. The petition, filed in May, insists that weight loss supplements have little or no science behind them, and that any products should be rigorously tested and then classed as drugs. The debate is raging as GSK say that obesity should be classed as a disease and treated accordingly with appropriate medication.

How much evidence is enough?
There are some ingredients, however, that have been well-tested and proven to aid weight loss. Supplements including green tea antioxidants have proved effective, and Mark Blumenthal of the American Botanical Council agrees that there are grey areas, but wonders how much evidence is needed:

"Different reviews have concluded that there is little high quality clinical evidence supporting many of the ingredients sold in dietary supplements intended as aides for weight loss. But it's one of those classic questions: how much information do you need?

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that a number of safe dietary ingredients when combined with dietary modification and exercise might provide some adjunct support in the weight loss process."

European cleanup in 2 years
The European market is still awaiting the regulation it needs to verify the science behind this multi-million dollar business. Dr Marvin Edeas, chairman of the up-and-coming conference and president of the French Society of Antioxidants says that we need to wait a couple of years longer for the legislation to come into effect: "In Europe, the market will remain blurred until 2010 when health claims come into force. The reliance on clinical trials to support health claims will clean-up the market and the smaller companies will disappear."