An obesity pill which can help women drop two dress sizes in a year has been hailed by scientists after stunning test results. The drug fools the body's metabolism into staying active, cutting weight by 12 per cent in under a year. For a 12 and a half stone woman, this would mean shedding 21lb - or two dress sizes. The pill, Excalia, is said to work better and faster than existing drugs. A course of one a day could have a dramatic effect on quality of life and cut the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Excalia will need official approval before being made available on the NHS. But a successful weight-reduction pill would be a major attraction for a health service-which spends £1billion a year on obesity-related problems.