One in three gym users take drugs or supplements to lose weight – study

One in 20 use amphetamine for same purpose, survey reveals, with many feeling pressured to achieve a certain body image

More than 30% of gym-goers in the UK use some form of drug or dietary supplement to lose weight, a study has found, amid fears body image anxiety fuels a rise in the use of performance and image-enhancing drugs.

More than 5% of people who regularly attend gyms have gone further by using the illegal stimulant amphetamine for this purpose, according to researchers from the University of Hertfordshire, who have presented their preliminary findings to MPs.