A fat-busting weight loss injection which supresses people's appetites is now available from pharmacies.

Known as Saxenda, Boots and Lloyds Pharmacy can prescribe the weight loss injection to eligible people following a short consultation.

The jabs were first approved in the UK in 2017 and only available via private prescription.

But now, under a strict set of criteria, more people will be able to access the weight loss jab as the NHS battles against rising obesity levels.

Here's everything you need to know about the Saxenda weight loss injections. 

How does the weight-loss jab work?

Saxenda injections mimick the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone, something released by your body after eating a filling meal, and help you feel satiated quicker. 

By suppressing a person's appetite using GLP-1, people will eat less and lose weight.

When combined with a low-fat food plan and moderate levels of activity, users of the weight loss injection can expect to lose 5% of their body weight in a three month period.

The NHS has reiterated that Saxenda is a weight-loss aid and not a cure that works without major dietary and lifestyle changes.

How to get the Saxenda weight loss injection from pharmacies

To get access to the weight loss jab, you have to meet certain criteria and this might change depending on your personal situation.

Boots and Lloyds pharmacy will ask you to book an online consultation and answer a questionnaire about your medical history and symptoms.

Generally, Saxenda is eligible for those who are 30 or above on the Body Mass Index scale and people who previously tried other methods of losing weight.

If you are accepted onto the weight loss injection treatments, you can pick them up in store or opt for free home delivery.

How much does the weight loss injection cost?

Saxenda prescriptions include 3ml pre-filled injection pens - each pen lasts 17 days and a pack of three covers 4.5 weeks.

A pack of three pens costs £150 while a pack of five is priced at £240.