ITV Lorraine's hit with Ofcom complaints over controversial weight loss advice

Dr Hilary Jones has been hit with Ofcom complaints over his weight loss advice on ITV's Lorraine, after he suggested the 'miracle' weight loss jab Ozempic might also have potential for treating lipedema

Dr Hilary Jones has unleashed a storm of controversy on ITV's Lorraine for touting the "miracle" weight loss jab Ozempic as a potential treatment for lipedema, despite admitting there's not enough evidence to back its use for the condition.

In the episode, which aired October 29, Ranvir Singh chipped in with her take on Ozempic: "Ozempic is always in the papers - either it's a miracle drug or they've got a great PR team," prompting Dr Hilary to note the buzz around the drug, saying: "It's getting a lot of attention, isn't it?"

He went on to underscore the lack of proper clinical trials supporting Ozempic's role in managing lipedema, a condition primarily affecting women and leading to excess fat build-up on the legs, hips, and bum. According to him, "it's spreading like wildfire on Facebook, but there are no clinical trials to suggest that it should be used in this instance - we need trials to see if it works."

The TV doctor also touched upon the cost issue, pointing out how much the NHS might have to fork out. Instead, he spotlighted research that endorses scheduled moderate exercise to ward off chronic illnesses, reports the Daily Record.

Adding his two cents on lifestyle changes, Dr Hilary concluded: "Interestingly, research has shown that if we only did the recommended amount of moderate exercise every week that the government is saying, we would actually prevent 3.2 million cases of chronic disease."

It has been revealed that Dr Hilary's remarks led to 50 complaints filed with Ofcom. An Ofcom representative clarified that the "complaints were about references Dr Hilary Jones made to the condition Lipodema when discussing the drug Ozempic."

Dr Hilary stood by his conviction that consistent moderate exercise can mitigate issues like depression, type two diabetes, and routine discomforts including back pain.

In a summary of top tips for maintaining health during the winter months, he also recommended viewers cut out caffeine 10 hours before sleep and said eating should cease in the final three hours of the day and work the last two, advising that all electronics should be switched off an hour before hitting the hay.

Debate continues over the use of Ozempic originally intended to treat diabetes now being used for weight management, a trend that has seen figures such as Sharon Osbourne, Oprah Winfrey, and Elon Musk become associated with the treatment, despite its known side effects like extreme nausea for some users.