- Food and Health Facts
- Posts
- Food and Health Fact #109
Food and Health Fact #109
Fact #109: A new anti-obesity drug
By Matthew Rees
Food and Health Fact #109: A new anti-obesity drug
Find all previously published facts here.
Are pharmaceuticals the solution to obesity? In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a drug to treat obesity, the first such therapy approved since 2014. In randomized controlled trials, obese individuals receiving a weekly injection of Wegovy lost an average of 12.4 percent of their initial body weight compared individuals who received a placebo, while obese individuals who also had Type 2 diabetes lost 6.2% of their initial body weight compared to those who received placebo. But as the FDA points out, side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. One commentator favorably inclined toward obesity therapies such as Wegovy nonetheless acknowledges that they “only reduce body weight for as long as people remain on them; cessation leads to an insidious regain of weight,” which he characterizes as “a substantial downside.” And the projected cost is $1,300 per month. Other options with a track record of contributing to weight loss – such as adopting a whole food, plant-based diet – were not part of the study.
Reply