America is on the verge of a weight loss revolution, and it’s about time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports almost 42% of adults and 20 million children in the U.S. are obese.
More than $173 billion is spent on health care costs associated with obesity, but the tide might be turning as new weight loss drugs are helping millions of people shed pounds faster than ever before.
But are they all they’re hyped up to be? Are they better than weight loss surgeries? Ivanhoe asked the experts to find out.
Ozempic is a diabetes drug, but demand for the once-a-week shot is skyrocketing for weight loss. The active ingredient, semaglutide, has been approved by the FDA for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy and can reduce a person’s body weight by 20%.
“The thing we have to understand about the drugs is, like anything, they’re only as good as the person using them. And it’s just another tool,” said Dr. Michael A. Snyder, a bariatric surgeon at Denver Center for Bariatric Surgery.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 inhibitor. Snyder said it works but side effects include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
“Kind of slows down digestion at the stomach level, which makes you full all the time and lose your hunger. That’s really what people experience,” Snyder said.
But it costs $1,000 a month and people will most likely need to be on it for life.
“This is not a ‘one and done’, this is not a boot camp for six weeks and then go on your own way,” Snyder said.
On the other hand, bariatric surgery refers to several different procedures that reshape the gastrointestinal tract so it holds less food.
“Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment out there for notable severe weight loss issues,” Snyder said.
Risks include hernias, gallstones and low blood sugar. On average, how much can people expect to lose?
“If you are 250 pounds with a bypass, you’re going to lose about 84 pounds. A sleeve, you’re going to lose 73.5 pounds. And medication, about 40 pounds,” Snyder said.
Snyder stresses that whichever one you choose will only work if you’re committed to losing weight for life.
An even more powerful drug, known as tirzepatide may soon be approved for weight loss and several other new medications are coming down the pipeline. But we must mention, studies on these drugs only span about two years, so long-term side effects are still not known.
And Snyder said that in every study he’s read, the drugs are only successful long-term if you use them with a dietician who combines them with appropriate diet and behavioral changes.