This Topic Review covers the management of overweight and obese adults and the use of drugs for weight loss. It incorporates recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline 'Obesity: guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment, and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children' [2006]. The target audience for this Topic Review is healthcare professionals working within the NHS in England, and providing first contact or primary health care. Advice on management covers dietary measures, exercise and drug therapy (orlistat, sibutramine, and rimonabant).