Lorraine hit with Ofcom complaints after Dr Hilary's 'controversial' weight loss advice

Dr Hilary Jones faced a wave of criticism from viewers after he claimed that the "miracle" weight loss injection in Ozempic could be an option for treating lipedema on ITV's Lorraine.

While presenting the show on October 29, Ranvir Singh delved into the ongoing debate surrounding the medication, remarking: "Ozempic is always in the papers - either it's a miracle drug or they've got a great PR team."

Dr Hilary chimed in with, "It's getting a lot of attention, isn't it?" Later, adding that there had been a lack of scientific studies regarding Ozempic's efficacy in tackling lipedema - a condition primarily affecting women and known for causing fat deposits in areas like the legs, hips, and buttocks.

He pointed out: "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."

Assessing the economic impact that widespread use of the drug could have on the NHS, alluding to its substantial cost. As a counter-solution, he mentioned studies advocating regular moderate exercise as a key strategy in warding off chronic illnesses, reports Express.

Finally, he recommended: "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 confirmed that remarks made by Dr Hilary have led to 50 Ofcom complaints. An Ofcom spokesperson clarified that the "complaints were about references Dr Hilary Jones made to the condition Lipedema when discussing the drug Ozempic."

The suggestion by Dr Hilary that exercise could be a substitute for weight loss medication might not have sat well with some viewers, especially those who find it challenging to shed pounds through physical activity alone.

Nevertheless, Dr. Hilary stood by his assertion that regular moderate exercise can help mitigate issues like depression, type two diabetes, and common pains, including backache.

In his list of top health tips for the winter season, he also recommended that caffeine should be avoided ten hours before sleep, eating should cease three hours before the end of the day, work should stop two hours prior, and all screens and technology should be turned off one hour before going to bed.

The use of the drug Ozempic, initially developed for diabetes, as a treatment for obesity has stirred debate. The medication, which has been used by celebrities such as Sharon Osbourne, Oprah Winfrey, and Elon Musk, is known to induce side effects like severe nausea in certain individuals.

Lorraine airs weekdays on ITV1, from 9am.