People who stop popular weight-loss medications regain pounds at a rate four times faster than those who end diet or exercise programs, according to a large new analysis.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
People who discontinue widely used weight-loss drugs regain weight dramatically faster than those who stop traditional diet or exercise programs, a new study has found, underscoring growing concerns about the long-term sustainability of pharmaceutical weight loss.
The findings, reported in a newly published meta-analysis, show that overweight and obese individuals who stop taking GLP-1 weight-loss medications regain weight at roughly four times the pace seen after stopping lifestyle-based interventions. According to the analysis, people who discontinued the drugs regained an average of 0.4 kilograms per month—about 10 pounds in the first year alone—after treatment ended, a trend detailed in coverage by CBC News and in the peer-reviewed study itself.
bmj-2025-085304.full by yourNEWS Media
The researchers reviewed and pooled data from multiple published studies involving thousands of participants who had used medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic, both based on the drug semaglutide. Their analysis found that, beyond weight regain, key health markers linked to diabetes and heart disease tended to return to pre-treatment levels within about two years of stopping the drugs.
“What we found particularly shocking was just how fast weight was regained after people stopped taking medication,” one of the study’s authors said.
By comparison, individuals who stopped structured exercise or diet programs regained weight far more slowly. The authors suggested that part of the difference may stem from behavior: people relying on medication may not develop the long-term habits and discipline typically required by diet- and exercise-based weight loss.
The findings come amid widespread use—and discontinuation—of GLP-1 drugs. About one in eight U.S. adults report currently taking a weight-loss medication, but evidence suggests roughly half of users stop within a year, often because of high costs or side effects. Reported adverse effects range from severe gastrointestinal distress to more serious complications, including rare deaths.
The study reinforces the view that these medications function as long-term, and possibly lifelong, treatments rather than temporary aids. Executives at drugmakers, including Eli Lilly, have previously acknowledged that many users may need to remain on the drugs indefinitely to maintain weight loss.
Meanwhile, the market for GLP-1 drugs continues to expand. At the end of last month, Infowars reported on the arrival of a new daily pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy following regulatory approval. Novo Nordisk is also testing semaglutide in children as young as six and exploring new uses for the drug, including potential treatments for addiction, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and even anti-aging applications.
The financial stakes are enormous. In 2023, semaglutide-based drugs generated $21.1 billion in revenue for Novo Nordisk—nearly two-thirds of the company’s total sales—with 71 percent of that revenue coming from the United States. The company has since become Europe’s most valuable firm, boasting a market capitalization of roughly $570 billion, larger than Denmark’s entire economy.
As use of the drugs has surged, so has scrutiny of their side effects. Reports have linked them to psychiatric symptoms, hormonal disruptions such as reduced testosterone and loss of libido, aspiration of stomach contents, and cases of permanent, chronic diarrhea, issues highlighted in recent reporting.
Tens of thousands of patients are now suing Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, alleging serious physical harm from the medications. Legal analysts say potential settlements or verdicts could reach into the hundreds of millions—or even billions—of dollars as litigation accelerates.
The new study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that while GLP-1 drugs can drive rapid weight loss, stopping them often triggers an equally rapid reversal—raising questions about their role as a long-term solution to obesity rather than a permanent dependency.
Original article
Comments