PARIS – People regaining weight after stopping new weight-loss drugs do so four times faster than those who discontinue diet and exercise programs,research published Jan.8 reveals.
Weight-Loss drug Rebound: A Faster Climb Back Up?
New data suggests a quicker return to previous weight after halting medication, but experts say that’s largely due to the significant initial weight loss.
- GLP-1 agonists, a new class of injectable drugs, have become popular for obesity and diabetes treatment.
- Participants in trials lost an average of nearly 15kg while on semaglutide or tirzepatide.
- Weight regain occurred at roughly four times the rate compared to those using diet and exercise alone.
- experts suggest these medications may need to be continued long-term, similar to blood pressure medication.
A new generation of appetite-suppressing, injectable drugs called GLP-1 agonists has dramatically altered the landscape of obesity and diabetes care in recent years. These medications have demonstrated the ability to help individuals lose between 15 and 20 percent of their body weight.
Ozempic and Wegovy-and tirzepatide, used in Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Trial participants experienced an average weight loss of nearly 15kg while taking these two drugs. though, after stopping medication, they regained 10kg within a year, the longest follow-up period available for these relatively new treatments. Researchers project participants would return to their original weight in 18 months.
Measurements of heart health, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels, also reverted to baseline levels after 1.4 years.
Individuals following diet and exercise programs-without medication-lost significantly less weight. However, it took an average of four years for them to regain their lost weight, meaning those taking drugs regained weight at a considerably faster pace.
“Greater weight loss tends to result in faster weight regain,” explained Sam West, led study author from Oxford University. However, he added that separate analysis showed weight gain was “consistently faster after medication, regardless of the amount of weight lost in the first place.”
This could be because individuals who learn healthier eating habits and incorporate regular exercise are more likely to maintain those behaviors even as they regain some weight.
Dr. Jebb emphasized that GLP-1 drugs “are a really valuable tool in obesity treatment-but obesity is a chronic relapsing condition.” She added, “One would expect that these treatments need to be continued for life, just likewise as blood pressure medication.”
The researchers emphasized that such a long-term treatment approach would significantly impact how national health systems assess the cost-effectiveness of these drugs.
“This new data makes it clear they are a starting point, not a cure,” said Associate Professor Garron Dodd, a metabolic neuroscience researcher at the University of Melbourne who was not involved in the study. “Enduring treatment will likely require combination approaches, longer-term strategies, and therapies that reshape how the brain interprets energy balance, not just how much people eat.”
