About 10% of American children between six and eleven years old are obese, and the numbers are increasing as more and more children get their exercise playing video and computer games instead of sports and outdoor games. The Skinny Pill For Kids promises to make overweight kids thin. Does it work and is it safe?

The Skinny Pill for Kids is modeled after the Skinny Pill that was created for adults, and is being advertised as a safe solution for overweight children, ages 6-12. It is a supplement containing vitamins, minerals, and herbs. It sounds harmless, but unfortunately, there is no objective research to support their claim that the product offers "very real weight-loss help through supplements that metabolically assist children to burn more fat pounds and inches, block new fat deposits and help regulate insulin levels to help mitigate fat factors."

It all sounds very scientific and parents and kids want to believe it is true. The trouble is that the Skinny Pill For Kids has not been tested, and nobody knows if it is safe for children, or effective.

The Skinny Pill for Kids contains three ingredients that are cause for concern: buchu leaf, juniper berry, and uva ursi. All three are diuretics, meaning that they cause the body to lose water. Doctors are concerned about the long-term use of diuretics in children because they can cause electrolyte imbalances and kidney problems. Uva ursi is specifically not recommended for children under the age of 12, and it may cause liver damage.

If you're wondering how a product like this can be widely advertised and sold "to help children" without having been tested and proven to be safe and effective, it's because the Skinny Pill For Kids is a dietary supplement.

While the FDA must review and approve most drugs before they can be sold, they do not review or approve vitamins or supplements. The manufacturer does not have to prove that it works or that it is safe. Only if the FDA receives convincing information that the product is dangerous will they take any action.

For children, the only proven method of safe and effective weight loss is eating fewer calories than they use each day. The way to do that is to eat food with fewer calories or exercise more. That's the safe and effective way for kids -- and adults --to lose weight and keep it off.