Orlistat, an inhibitor of gastrointestinal lipases, limits the absorption of ingested fat and could become a potential treatment for obesity. This analysis was performed to elucidate the relationship between orlistat dose and intensity of inhibition of dietary fat absorption (assessed by measuring fecal fat excretion). In 11 phase I double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomized studies, a total of 171 subjects received oral daily doses that ranged from 30 to 1200 mg orlistat or matching placebo three times a day for 9 to 10 days. The results of the daily mean fecal fat excretion percentage (relative to ingested fat) were correlated to the orlistat daily dose. A simple maximum-effect model that included a basal value was used to fit the dose-response relationship for all evaluable subjects. The mean maximum percentage of ingested fat excreted in the feces was approximately 32% during orlistat administration compared with 5% during placebo administration. The orlistat daily dose that produced 50% of the maximum effect was 98 mg/day. The model-fitting suggests the existence of a steep portion of the dose-response curve up to approximately 400 mg/day, with a subsequent tendency to plateau at higher doses. Such an analysis was instrumental in identifying appropriate doses to be used in therapeutic trials for weight loss in obese patients.