In the United States over 30% of children are overweight or obese, and childhood obesity is associated with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and a high risk for adult obesity and cardiovascular disease.  According to a report in the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, and reported in ScienceDaily,  extended release metformin appears to cause a small but significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) in non-diabetic obese adolescents, when combined with a lifestyle intervention program.

The study, which was conducted on 77 obese adolescents by researchers at Stanford University and the Lucile S. Packard Children’s Hospital in California and by members of the Glaser Pediatric Research Network Obesity Study Group,  found that after 52 weeks, the patients on extended release metformin had an average 0.9 decrease in their BMI. The patients on the placebo had an average BMI increase of 0.2.  reports.