Weight returns faster after stopping obesity jabs than after behavioural programmes

Independent.co reports that a University of Oxford analysis found people who take weight‑loss injections tend to regain weight much faster after stopping them than those who lose weight through behavioural programmes. The review of 37 studies involving more than 9,000 people found an average treatment time of 10 months and average follow‑up of eight months.

People on any weight‑loss medication lost an average of 8.3kg during treatment but regained 4.8kg within the first year and returned to their starting weight within 1.7 years; those on semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) lost just under 15kg and regained about 10kg in the first year, with projected full regain in 1.5 years.

The study also reported that cardiometabolic benefits, such as improvements in blood glucose and cholesterol, generally returned to baseline about 1.4 years after stopping medication. Professor Susan Jebb of the University of Oxford said weight regain after medication is "common and is rapid," and that the rate of regain is almost four times faster than after behavioural programmes.

Key Topics

Health, Semaglutide, Wegovy, Tirzepatide, Mounjaro, Nhs