The Denver Post, in an editorial published Nov. 29, notes that millions of people who are overweight are agog about the new anti-obesity drug Acomplia.

"While a safe and successful diet drug would be a godsend for the morbidly obese, we hope the hype doesn't obscure the fact that there is already a highly successful therapy that can help people lose weight, stop smoking and improve their hearts," writes the Post. "Best of all, it's free.

"This drug is known as "exercise." In ways both large and small, researchers point out that even small amounts of exercise are being eliminated from American life. Automatic transmissions eliminate the few calories motorists used to expend shifting gears. Remote controls have eliminated the arduous trek to change television channels. Kids who once played baseball now hunch over computer games. It all adds up to fatter Americans.

"Diabetics, who are among those with the most to gain from a safe and successful diet drug, have also shown the potency of exercise for health. The most common form of diabetes - Type II, or insulin-insensitive diabetes - has four main risk factors: heredity, age, inactivity and obesity. Many drugs taken to control diabetes actually can cause the user to gain weight, and diabetics can be trapped in a vicious cycle in which obesity triggers diabetes, which is treated with drugs that trigger more weight gain, thus requiring more medication, etc.

"In contrast, diabetics who eat carefully and exercise can reduce their need for drugs, and live healthier and more fulfilling lives. And while being careful about what they eat and getting regular exercise is mandatory for diabetics, it's also very good medicine for practically everyone else.

"So don't just wait for the FDA to approve Acomplia. Walk your dog. Eat an apple instead of a candy bar and toss a ball with your kids. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park at the far end of the parking lot. And start taking better care of the miracle that God gave us all: the human body."