The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) gave a green signal to drug company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to market its non-prescription weight loss pill alli (orlistat) in all 27 member countries of the European Union and Norway as well.

Adults with a body mass index of 28 kg/m2 or more, that is those who are overweight or obese (BMI of 25 or more is classed as overweight) can take this pill.

GSK said Alli (orlistat), a lipase inhibitor, works by stopping the fat we eat from being turned into body fat. It acts locally within the digestive system and thus very little of the active ingredient goes into the bloodstream.

GSK added the drug has been on prescription for over 10 years and over 100 clinical studies have yielded information about its safety and efficacy.

During trails, people lost 50 per cent more weight when they used alli with a reduced calorie, lower fat diet than dieting alone. Company added that the pill is to supplement the benefits of exercise and dieting not to replace them. (Harkiran contributed to this report)