UK obesity rates may start falling this year thanks to weight loss jabs

London: So, it looks like obesity rates in the UK might finally be on the decline. According to Simple Online Pharmacy, a major online seller of weight loss meds, we could see a significant drop by 2025. They’ve helped around 200,000 folks lose a whopping 600 tonnes of weight with drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy.

They’re saying that the 500,000 people currently using these weight loss drugs could shed about 15% to 20% of their weight in just a few months. Rebecca Moore, the COO of the company, mentioned that they expect around a million people to reverse their obesity within a year. That’s pretty hopeful, right?

Moore also pointed out that we might start seeing a real decline in obesity rates by the end of this year. But, hold on a second—experts are cautioning that this data might not show the whole picture. Dr. Martin Whyte from the University of Surrey emphasized that the 500,000 people using these drugs are just a small fraction of those dealing with obesity in the UK.

He stressed the importance of public health initiatives and lifestyle changes to really tackle the obesity issue. While these GLP-1 receptor agonists are a solid option for many, they shouldn’t be the only solution.

It’s worth noting that obesity rates have jumped from 15% in 1993 to about 28-29% now. Demand for these weight loss meds is skyrocketing, with Simple Online Pharmacy reporting a 10% to 40% increase in demand each month. They’re supplying around 400 patients every hour, and most are paying out of pocket—about £150 a month.

Last year, NHS England even suggested rolling out tirzepatide, another weight loss drug, to NICE. Dr. Simon Cork from Anglia Ruskin University mentioned that this could be a game-changer in obesity treatment, especially since tirzepatide has shown great results in trials.

But, there are some concerns too. A death linked to tirzepatide last November raised eyebrows about the safety of these jabs. Still, experts like Prof. Naveed Sattar from the University of Glasgow say the current data shows acceptable safety and benefits, including significant weight loss and diabetes prevention.

There are ongoing trials with nearly 30,000 participants looking into the long-term effects of tirzepatide, which should give us more insight into its safety and effectiveness.