The survey of 610 people, which was sponsored by the International Life Science Institute's China office, found that most people were misinformed about dieting.

According to the survey, conducted by British ISIS Research in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, 80.7 percent of those surveyed used slimming foods and medicine to improve their appearance rather than health.

Only 24.3 percent said health was the major reason for reducing their weight.

Professor Chen Chunming, director of the institute's China office, said slimming to improve one's appearance may lead people to adopt harmful dieting methods.

"Fatness is a chronic disease, and slimming should be performed under medical guidance," she said.

More than 46 percent of those surveyed said they would not consult a doctor for dieting advice and would prefer instead to use a slimming product.

Another common misconception among those surveyed was that dieting is a short-term behavior. More than 51 percent of those surveyed said they do not use slimming products for periods of less than two months at a time.

While stressing that exercise should be combined with weight-loss medication, Chen warned that rapid weight loss could be dangerous.

"Over the short-term, 5 to 10 percent of weight reduction programs may harm health," she said.

A total of 40 percent of those surveyed do not know how their slimming product works, the survey found.

Professor Liu Lisheng, a heart disease specialist, said many slimmers may use inappropriate products and drugs.

About 14 percent of those surveyed used products containing fenfluramine, which has been found to cause serious heart damage by the US Food & Drug Administration.

The chemical has been withdrawn from the US market, but is still allowed in China.

Many doctors and pharmacists have appealed for the chemical to be recalled.

Patients must be wary of the harm Fenfluramine can cause, Liu said.

(China Daily 04/03/2001)