Australia has joined the U. S. and U. K in obesity becoming a growing problem in both, adults as well as children and pharmacies across the country are selling meal replacement programs as well as a variety of over the counter diet plans to people.

Consumer watchdog CHOICE conducted an investigation and reported that minimal training was imparted to sales assistants by the product manufacturers in assessing overweight or obese customers. Important factors such as medical history, exercise patterns, alcohol intake etc which could impact on weight loss were disregarded by the sales assistants who were more eager to simply sign on customers for the meal replacement programs.

Christopher Zinn, Choice spokesman said consumers are being sold a "one-size-fits-all" solution, which is highly questionable. CHOICE conducted a survey of seven different over the counter programmes sold at pharmacies by sending three overweight shoppers to 21 pharmacies and asking a panel of experts to assess the findings.

The panel of experts included Dr. Rosemary Stanton Associate Professor David Cameron-Smith and dieticians Susie Burrell, Melanie McGrice and Matt O'Neil. The seven diet products that were surveyed were AlphaSlim Pharmacy Weight Loss, Betty Baxter Complete Weight Management, Dr. Tim's Success, Kate Morgan Weight Loss, Tony Ferguson Weight Loss, Ultra Lite Weight Management and Xndo Weight Control System.

The experts reported that most of the sales 'consultants' did not ask customers about their food and lifestyle choices, family medical history or exercise routines and more than half of the 'diet consultants' had only undergone a few hours of basic training.

There were many issues with the diets as well and the experts said some plans had very low levels of carbohydrates which could result in the loss of muscle rather than loss of fat, while all the plans were very short in fibre which could result in the side effect of constipation.

Many of the meal replacement drinks were found to not meet the Australian standard with the exception of Betty Baxter which the experts said met nutritional requirements. Maximum criticism was meted out to Tony Ferguson Weight Loss and Ultra Lite Weight Management by the CHOICE nutrition panel of experts for being prepared to sell their weight loss programmes to overweight 10 year old children. Choice describes this as "grossly inadequate" and says two programmes were "disgraceful and irresponsible" for allowing some children to take part.

CHOICE is calling for a national accreditation scheme which would include a standardised training program for weight loss consultants before pharmacists can sell meal replacement programs and has recommended tightening of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's requirements.

Kos Sclavos, president of the Pharmacy Guild defended the pharmacy sale of diet plans saying that the programmes work if people adhere to the programmes outlines. CHOICE concluded that most plans don't look at the broader issues around weight loss and such fast-track diets fail to address the real issues at the root of the weight problem and questions who ends up profiting the most. (Harkiran contributed to this report)