Weight Loss Archives

Proposed new criteria could reduce classified obesity population by 20%

January 15, 2025

A group of global experts is proposing a new way to diagnose obesity. Under new recommendations released Tuesday, Jan. 14, obesity would no longer be determined solely by body mass index (BMI).

A person’s BMI is determined using a person’s height and weight. Under the new recommendations, other factors would also be taken into account, including waist circumference and evidence of health problems linked to being overweight.

A new report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Journal also introduced two new diagnostic categories: clinical obesity and pre-clinical obesity. People diagnosed with clinical obesity would meet BMI and other markers of obesity, and have evidence of organ, tissue or other problems caused by excess weight, like heart disease, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease or chronic severe knee or hip pain.

Those with clinical obesity would be eligible for treatments, including diet and exercise interventions, and obesity medications. People with pre-clinical obesity are at risk for those conditions but have no ongoing illness yet.

The 58 experts behind the recommendations said under the new criteria, about 20% of people who used to be classified as obese would no longer meet the definition and about 20% of people with serious health effects but lower BMI would now be considered clinically obese.

The new definitions have been endorsed by more than 75 medical organizations around the world, but it’s not clear how widely or quickly they could be adopted.

1 in 6 skipping their weight loss injections for the holidays

December 23, 2024

The holidays are notoriously a time for feasting, but for thousands of people on weight loss injections, it’s tough to have their Christmas fruitcake and eat it too. That’s why many are choosing to pause their medications for a little while.

In fact, according to a recent survey by weight loss company Levity, about one in six said they’re skipping the weight loss drugs during the holidays. For most of them (79%), it’s so they can indulge in all the holiday food like they want to.

On top of the list of holiday temptations are Christmas cookies and sweets. More than half (54%) said they’re skipping the medication for those goodies in particular.

While skipping some doses sounds like a delicious plan, it’s not necessarily a safe one. Levity found about two-thirds (63%) of people pausing their meds haven’t talked to a doctor first, and a third (34%) are not aware of potential side effects.

Doctors said taking a short break from weight loss medications can have long-lasting effects, including gaining some of the weight back, mood changes and more cravings. They also said people can’t just jump back into taking weight loss medication like they were before. They said easing back into it carefully is key and advise talking with a doctor to come up with a plan to gradually reintroduce the treatment and minimize side effects.

Even under a doctor’s supervision, weight loss injections are known for their unpleasant side effects, especially gastrointestinal issues.

Eli Lilly to test weight loss drug Zepbound to treat addiction

December 13, 2024

Eli Lilly, the maker of the popular weight loss injection Zepbound, is exploring other ways the drug can help people. In an interview with the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., this week, the company’s CEO, David Ricks, discussed the pharmaceutical giant’s plans for 2025.

“These medicines, we think, and we aim to prove, can be used for other things we don’t think about connected to weight,” Ricks said. “These are often called anti-hedonics, so they are reducing that desire cycle. So, next year you’ll see Lilly start large studies in alcohol abuse, in nicotine use, even in drug abuse.”

Zepbound is a GLP-1 drug. Those drugs work by mimicking hormones that make you feel satisfied after eating.

Researchers have known the mechanism in the brain that regulates food-seeking behaviors. They say it overlaps with the mechanism that regulates why some people develop addiction. However, Ricks said Eli Lilly’s upcoming study will be the first to test the use of these drugs specifically to treat addiction.

Zepbound started out under the name Mounjaro as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Eli Lilly later discovered patients could use Mounjaro’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, as an off-label prescription to encourage weight loss.

Shortly after, the Food and Drug Administration approved a version for weight loss purposes under the name Zepbound.

A new study by Loyola University released this week in the journal “Addiction,” found GLP-1 drugs show promise for treating drug and alcohol addiction.

Researchers found people addicted to alcohol who also had a prescription for a GLP-1 drug had a 50% lower rate of binging alcohol. They also discovered people with opioid use disorder had a 40% lower rate of overdose.

Some sources of added sugar are worse than others, new study suggests

December 10, 2024

Added sugar is the enemy to the body’s health, at least that is what has been taught for decades now. However, just like any other enemy, some are worse than others. A new study shows the kind of sugary treat one indulges in changes how it impacts their health.

The study was done over the span of more than 20 years, and looked at three major categories: sugary beverages, sweets — like pastries — and toppings, like the honey that people add to tea or the sugar put in coffee.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found consuming sweet drinks significantly increases the risk for heart disease, while eating things like pastries and chocolate in social settings might actually protect the body’s health.

Researchers said the study was only observational, meaning they found associations but can’t yet be sure that the ways people take in sugar caused the different rates of heart disease, so it needs to be studied further.

Still, one of the study’s authors said a theory behind why sugary drinks may seem to impact heart health more is that they make the consumer feel less full, making it easy to drink more than they should.

The study also found that weight plays a big role in how sugar impacts health. Those with a higher body mass index (BMI) were at higher risk of stroke or aortic aneurysm with higher sugar intake, while those considered normal weight saw increased heart health risks.

The bottom line? Cutting out sugar altogether is not necessary to live the healthiest life.

‘Microdosing’ is the new trend in weight loss, but is it safe?

December 9, 2024

In recent years both weight loss injections and “microdosing” have become increasingly popular — and now, so is combining the two. Injections originally intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, like Ozempic and Mounjaro, are proven to help people lose weight, but are often associated with side effects like gastrointestinal issues, which is why people have started microdosing these drugs.

Microdosing is when people take less than the prescribed or recommended amount to reap the drug’s benefits while avoiding its side effects. The concept has gained popularity in recent years with people microdosing psychedelics to help treat mental health disorders.

While there’s no official science behind it, people who have tried microdosing weight loss drugs say it’s been a game changer for them. However, health experts are issuing a warning over the new trend, as many people who jump on the bandwagon do so without talking to their doctor first.

Some doctors use microdosing to help those who have already reached their goal weight while using medication to keep that weight off. The practice has also been used to help people curb addictions to things like drugs and alcohol in addition to food as well. A study for the journal “Addiction” showed those on semaglutides were 40% to 50% less likely to binge drink or abuse opioids.

Still, some doctors say they won’t even recommend it because there’s simply not any research to show if it’s safe.

The trend has also heightened concerns that more people will turn to buying these drugs or compounded versions of their active ingredients online — something that’s already been an issue among people whose insurance doesn’t cover such treatments — which could lead to overdoses, infection or diseases because they’re not regulated.

Zepbound helps shed more weight than Wegovy, Eli Lilly study says

December 5, 2024

GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the way Americans look at weight loss now that the FDA has approved a few of them to help battle obesity. Now, a new study is shedding light on two of the most popular drugs people turn to to help them shed pounds.

In the first head-to-head randomized clinical trial of these drugs, researchers compared results from Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. It is important to note Eli Lilly funded the study.

Previous studies have shown Zepbound helped people lose more weight than Wegovy. That said, they’re not considered true comparisons of the drugs because the results were based on preexisting data.

This new trial had people who were overweight or obese use the drugs once a week for 72 weeks. The study found that those injected with Zepbound lost 20.2% of their body weight, or 50.3 pounds on average. Those injected with Wegovy lost an average of 13.7% of their body weight, or 33.1 pounds.

Eli Lilly says that means Zepbound is nearly twice as effective as Wegovy. Doctors say that despite the difference in results, both drugs are still highly effective at helping people lose weight.

In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson noted Wegovy had been linked to a reduced risk of heart issues like heart attack and stroke.

Another thing to note is that aside from their names, Zepbound and Wegovy are also different in their active ingredients. Zepbound uses tirzepatide to help you lose weight, while Wegovy is a semaglutide injection.

Both target GLP-1 receptors to make you feel less hungry. Still, unlike semaglutide, tirzepatide also targets GIP receptors, which reduces a person’s appetite more than just a GLP-1 drug alone.

1 in 4 Americans still carrying last year’s holiday weight

November 27, 2024

With Thanksgiving this week and the holiday season upon us, that tends to mean lots of family, friends, fun and food. That might have people dreading packing on the holiday pounds, unless they’re among the nearly 1 in 4 Americans who never lost last year’s holiday weight.

A new survey conducted by Talker Research for wellness company Herbalife found 24% are still carrying the weight they gained at the end of 20-23, which is about 10 pounds on average. The survey’s respondents also said they expect to gain another 6 pounds before the new year.

Half said they’re less healthy than usual at the end of the year and 43% said they even use the holidays as an excuse to put off eating healthy. Why? More than half said it’s because the end of the year is more enjoyable if you don’t worry about healthy habits or your weight.

But once 2025 hits, things should change. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they plan to start or pick back up healthy eating habits in the new year.

Biden proposes requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight loss drugs

November 26, 2024

As President Joe Biden wraps up his term, his administration is proposing that Medicare and Medicaid cover popular weight loss medications. The new rule would dramatically expand access to anti-obesity drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro.

As of now, Medicare and Medicaid only cover these drugs if they’re prescribed to treat certain conditions like diabetes. This new proposal could provide coverage for patients looking to use them exclusively for weight loss.

The change would dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs for the drugs, which can cost more than $1,000 for a month’s supply, according to the White House. The CDC estimates more than 40% of Americans are considered obese and could benefit from these drugs.

The new rule would expand access to the drugs for 3.4 million Americans who use Medicare and another 4 million people enrolled in Medicaid, White House officials said.

136 million US adults eligible for semaglutide shots: Study

November 21, 2024

Researchers estimate 136 million adults, or about half the U.S. adult population, are eligible for semaglutide shots like Ozempic or Wegovy. That’s according to a new study published in JAMA Network on Monday, Nov. 18.

Nearly 26,000 adults participated in the study, which found that 8,504 of them were eligible to receive semaglutide shots for diabetes, weight management and/or preventing cardiovascular disease.

Semaglutide shots treat Type 2 diabetes by increasing an individual’s insulin levels, according to the Mayo Clinic, and may be used for other purposes.

Researchers found the mean age of participants to be 50.7 years, with 49.1% being women. They also estimate “that more than 39 million adults qualify for indications other than weight management alone, a substantial increase over the estimated 15 million currently taking” the medication.

Nearly 40 million adults are eligible for the medication to treat diabetes or as a secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease.

The study’s authors say that based on their calculations, nearly 4.3 million individuals without diabetes but with cardiovascular disease may gain coverage for the medication.

The researchers noted that more than half of U.S. adults who have already taken semaglutide medication shared that affordability is a barrier to accessing it and there should be an increased effort to promote equitable access for people who need the medication.

The Mayo Clinic lists a slew of side effects of taking semaglutide, which can include belching, excess air or gas in the intestines, stomach pain, blurred vision, confusion, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, among others.

FDA approves new drug for schizophrenia, promises few side effects

November 1, 2024

The FDA has approved a new kind of drug to treat schizophrenia that touts fewer side effects than current options, after seeing encouraging results from trials by the drug’s maker. The FDA approved Bristol Myers Squibb’s new treatment, Cobenfy, in September, after getting positive results from two of the company’s five-week trials of the drug.

Now, the results of two yearlong studies have been released as well. While most of the participants who signed up for the trials dropped out because of side effects — which doctors say is common for schizophrenia drug trials — those who stayed in showed significant improvement.

One study focused on severely ill patients while the other looked at people who were considered more stable over the course of a year.

Among the severely ill patients, 78% dropped out of the study, leaving only 35 participants.

Just over half of participants (51%) in the more stable group study didn’t finish the trial, leaving 283 people who did take the drug for a full year.

Of those in the severely ill group who did finish the trial, 69% showed meaningful improvement in their symptoms after a year. Nearly a third (30%) of those in the more stable group improved as well.

Honored to have our novel treatment for #schizophrenia in adults recognized on the @TIME #TIMEBestInventions of 2024 list. https://t.co/1gR8HUoeh5 https://t.co/7QYS9nlhZY
— Bristol Myers Squibb (@bmsnews) October 30, 2024

This drug could represent a breakthrough in treating schizophrenia, which has been notoriously hard to consistently treat because many people feel the side effects outweigh the benefits.

The new drug works differently from traditional antipsychotics. Instead of blocking dopamine receptors, Cobenfy’s main ingredient targets a different receptor that indirectly blocks dopamine release.

One of its other main ingredients blocks some of the common side effects that come with schizophrenia meds, like nausea, vomiting and indigestion, and has been associated with slight weight loss instead of weight gain.

Still, it’s not clear what side effects led participants to drop out of the trial. One doctor who was not part of the study told The Associated Press that we’ll understand more as doctors start prescribing the drug.

Another concern is cost. Cobenfy goes for about $22,500 a year, compared to $540 for a generic antipsychotic. Some doctors are concerned insurance companies will require schizophrenia patients to try other, less expensive drugs before they can move on to Cobenfy.

Currently, there is one cheaper generic that is widely considered one of the best treatments for schizophrenia, clozapine. However, it’s not used as often because it requires blood testing to watch for the risk of severe neutropenia, a condition that causes the body to have a low number of white blood cells which are essential for fighting infections.

Patients have reported relapses in symptoms when that medication was delayed over testing requirements.