A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found as many as 1,300 under-18s have been prescribed the drugs even though they are not licensed for use under the age of 18.
The researchers found that most stop using them before they could expect to see any benefit.
"It's possible that the drugs are being given inappropriately, or that they have excessive side effects that make young people discontinue their use," Russell Viner, one of the authors of the study based at the General & Adolescent Paediatrics Unit at University College London, said.
"On the other hand they could be expecting the drugs to deliver a miracle quick fix and stop using them when sudden, rapid weight loss does not occur."
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