Have you heard of weight-loss injections, including those manufactured in Denmark or the United States, or have you tried them or are considering doing so? Then this new study might interest you. According to The Guardian, a study revealed that people who stop taking weight-loss injections regain the weight in less than two years.
Analysis showed that people who stopped using the medication experienced weight regain four times faster compared to other weight loss plans. Read more after the advertisement.
A groundbreaking study also showed that people who stop taking weight-loss injections regain all the weight they lost in less than two years, much faster than those who follow any other weight-loss plan.
Weight loss drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed as a treatment for diabetes and work by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone that helps people feel full.
The study, led by academics from Oxford University and published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), included a review of 37 previous studies on weight-loss drugs, involving 9,341 people. The average treatment duration was 39 weeks, while the average follow-up period was 32 weeks. .
The analysis found that weight was regained at an average rate of 0.4 kg per month for people who stopped taking the medication, with participants returning to their original weight within an average of 1.7 years after stopping any type of weight-loss medication.
Specifically, people taking any type of weight loss medication lost an average of 8.3 kilograms during treatment, but regained 4.8 kilograms during the first year.
The rate of weight regain after stopping these medications was almost four times faster compared to behavioral programs, which may include a specific diet or physical activity plan, regardless of how much weight was lost during treatment.
Dr. Sam West, from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford University, explained that the rapid weight gain observed after stopping weight loss drugs was not due to the drug itself: “These drugs are revolutionizing the treatment of obesity and can achieve significant weight loss. However, our research shows that people tend to regain the weight quickly after stopping them – faster than we see with behavioral programs,” West said.
He added: “This is not a deficiency in the medications, but rather reflects the nature of obesity as a chronic and recurring condition. It serves as a warning against short-term use without a comprehensive approach to long-term weight management, and underscores the importance of primary prevention.”
Previous studies have indicated that weight loss drugs can also have a beneficial effect on other aspects of a patient's health, as demonstrated in a study on drugs that can reduce the risk of premature death in heart patients by half.
However, this study also found that the benefits that weight loss drugs can achieve on cardiometabolic health indicators, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, also returned to their original level within 1.4 years of stopping treatment.
Although previous studies have indicated that people taking weight-loss drugs regain all the weight they lost within a year of stopping the drug, this is the first study to provide the rate of weight regain and estimated timeframes for weight and metabolic reversal.
Wegovy can be prescribed under the National Health Service for up to two years, while there is no time limit for prescribing Mounjaro.
“Weight loss drugs can be effective tools for managing weight and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – but this research confirms they are not a quick fix,” says Dr. Faye Riley, Research Communications Officer at Diabetes UK. She adds: “They need to be prescribed appropriately, with comprehensive support tailored to them, to ensure people take full advantage and maintain their weight loss for as long as possible when they stop taking the medication.”
Katherine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said that regaining weight after stopping treatment is not a failure for individuals, but rather “reflects the reality of living in a food environment that constantly pushes people towards unhealthy choices.”.
Jenner said: “These drugs can create an opportunity to improve the food environment on a large scale and quickly – from the marketing of fast food to the affordability and availability of healthy foods – otherwise many people will struggle to maintain the long-term health benefits of weight-loss drugs.”.
A spokesperson for the National Health Service said: “While these new treatments are an important new tool to support weight loss, they are not a magic bullet and must be combined with comprehensive behavior and lifestyle support, including advice on healthy diets and physical activity to maintain weight in the long term.”.
“The NHS continues to implement innovative ways to support people in losing weight safely and sustainably, as well as providing a range of weight management services, including the NHS Digital Weight Management Scheme, which will be expanded to include an additional 125,000 people per year as part of the ten-year health plan.”
