People who stop taking weight-loss jabs regain weight in under two years, study reveals | Health

According to a landmark study, people who stop taking weight loss injections regain all the weight they initially lost in less than two years, much faster than those who follow any other weight loss plan.

Weight loss drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed to treat diabetes and work by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide (GLP) 1 hormone that helps people feel full.

The study, led by academics at the University of Oxford and published in the BMJ, included a review of 37 existing studies regarding weight loss drugs, involving 9,341 participants. The average duration of weight loss treatment was 39 weeks while the average follow-up period was 32 weeks.

On average, weight was regained at a rate of 0.4 kg per month for people who stopped taking the drug, the analysis found, with participants returning to their original weight within an average of 1.7 years after stopping any type of weight-loss drug.

Specifically, people taking any type of weight loss medication lost an average of 8.3 kg during treatment, but gained 4.8 kg back during the first year.

The rate at which weight was regained after stopping these medications was almost four times faster compared to behavioral programs, which may include a specific diet or physical activity program, regardless of the amount of weight lost during treatment.

Dr Sam West, from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, said the rapid weight gain seen after stopping weight loss drugs was not due to the drug itself.

“These medications are transforming the treatment of obesity and can lead to significant weight loss. However, our research shows that people tend to regain weight quickly after stopping – faster than we see with behavioral programs,” West said.

He added: “This is not a failure of the drugs – it reflects the nature of obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease. This serves as a cautionary tale for short-term use without a more comprehensive approach to long-term weight management, and highlights the importance of primary prevention.”

Previous studies have suggested that weight-loss medications may also have a beneficial impact on other areas of a patient’s health, as shown in the study of drugs that could cut heart patients’ risk of premature death in half.

However, this study also found that the benefits that weight loss medications may have on cardio-metabolic health markers, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, also returned to their original levels within 1.4 years of stopping treatment.

Although previous studies have suggested that people taking weight loss medications regain all the weight they lost within a year of stopping treatment, this is the first study to provide the rate of weight regain and estimated time frames for weight and metabolic reversal.

Wegovy can be prescribed on the NHS for up to two years, while there is no limitation period for Mounjaro.

“Weight loss medications can be effective tools for managing weight and the risk of type 2 diabetes – but this research reinforces that they are not a silver bullet, according to Dr Faye Riley, head of research communications at Diabetes UK.

“They need to be prescribed appropriately, alongside personalized overall support, to ensure that people can fully benefit and maintain their weight loss for as long as possible when they stop taking the medication. »

Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said regaining weight after stopping treatment was not an individual failure, but rather “reflects the reality of living in a dietary environment that continually pushes people toward unhealthy options.”

“These medications may create a window of opportunity to improve the food environment at scale and quickly – from junk food marketing to the accessibility and availability of healthier foods – otherwise many people will struggle to maintain the health benefits of weight loss medications over the long term,” Jenner said.

An NHS spokesperson said: “While these new treatments are an important new tool to support weight loss, they are not a magic bullet and should be combined with behavioral and lifestyle support, including advice on healthier diets and physical activity to maintain weight long term.

“The NHS continues to implement innovative ways to help people lose weight safely and sustainably, while offering a range of weight management services, including the NHS Digital Weight Management Program, which will be extended to an additional 125,000 people a year as part of the 10-year health plan.