A pill which is said to help slimmers drop a dress size within weeks of starting treatment will be available in the UK without prescription in the next few weeks.

The alli pill costs is already for sale in some European countries.

Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline has hailed the pill as a significant milestone although they have warned that it is not a magic pill and should be taken alongside eating properly and exercising. Medical studies have shown that slimmers who take one alli pill three times a day in conjunction with their main meals lose around 50 percent more weight than those slimmers who are using dieting alone. The average weight loss after six months of taking the pill is 10lb the typical amount of weight needed to drop a dress size.

The alli pill works by stopping the body absorbing as much fat from food as it normally would. The fat that would ordinarily be absorbed is passed undigested through the body. The alli pill is similar to the prescription drug Xenical however is only around half it’s strength.

Unfortunately, can also be a number of side effects unpleasant, but not threatening, side effects may include bloating and wind, and possibly even diarrhoea. The pill may also stop the body absorbing some vitamins.

Concerns have already been raised, with some claiming that the pill is likely to be popular as it is seen as a ‘quick fix’, particularly given that the pill is predicted to be fairly cheap in the US, where the drug is already on sale, it costs around £1 per day and widely available from high street chemists, although it is thought that it will only be stocked behind pharmacy counters and not on the shop floor.