Clinical trials

Obesity is a chronic disease of global public health concern, contributing to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Currently approved anti-obesity drugs and surgery are expensive and not readily available in Nigeria. Metformin, approved for type 2 diabetes, has been shown to promote weight loss among obese patients in high income countries. However, metformin's effects have not yet been demonstrated in Black African populations, which may have different genetic and environmental predispositions to obesity and to the effect of metformin. This blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial is determining the effect of metformin on weight loss, cardiovascular disease risk and insulin resistance in Black Nigerians.