Much as we'd like one, the magic pill that will help us lose weight all by itself still hasn't been invented. With today's weight loss medications, people who take them lose more weight when they also follow a diet, according to a new clinical study.

Although diet pills are always recommended as an adjunct to diet and exercise, many physicians and patients seem to rely on them alone to produce results. In a one-year trial, 53 women with an average weight over 220 pounds used either the drug sibutramide alone, the drug plus a 1200 - 1500 calorie diet, or the drug plus a portion-controlled diet.

The results after a year:

• Those taking only the drug lost a mean of 4.1% of their body weight.
• Those on the drug and the calorie-restricted diet lost a mean of 10.8% of their body weight.
• Those on the drug and the portion-controlled diet lost a mean of 16.5% of their body weight.

Women in the second two groups also reported being more satisfied with their medication and with the changes in their weight, health, appearance, and self-esteem.