August M
Weight-loss injections have transformed obesity treatment in recent years, but new research suggests the benefits may fade quickly once treatment ends. A major analysis indicates people who stop using the drugs regain weight far faster than those following other weight-loss approaches.
The findings raise questions about how the medications should be used over the long term.
Rapid regain seen
According to The Guardian, researchers found that people who stopped taking weight-loss jabs regained all the weight they had lost in under two years on average. The study shows weight returned at a much faster pace than with diet- or exercise-based programmes.
The drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed to treat diabetes and work by mimicking a hormone that helps people feel full.
What the data shows
The analysis, led by academics at the University of Oxford and published in The BMJ, reviewed 37 studies involving 9,341 participants. On average, people were treated for 39 weeks and followed up for a further 32 weeks.
Researchers found that after stopping medication, weight was regained at an average rate of 0.4kg per month. Participants returned to their original weight within about 1.7 years.
During treatment, people lost an average of 8.3kg, but regained 4.8kg within the first year after stopping.
Faster than other plans
The rate of weight regain was almost four times faster than that seen in behavioural programmes, such as structured diet or physical activity plans, regardless of how much weight people initially lost.
Dr Sam West of the University of Oxford said: “These medicines are transforming obesity treatment and can achieve important weight loss. However, our research shows that people tend to regain weight rapidly after stopping – faster than we see with behavioural programmes.”
He added: “This isn’t a failing of the medicines – it reflects the nature of obesity as a chronic, relapsing condition.”
Health gains fade
The study also found that improvements in cardio-metabolic markers, including blood pressure and cholesterol, returned to pre-treatment levels within about 1.4 years of stopping medication.
Previous research had suggested weight often returns within a year, but this is the first analysis to estimate the pace of regain and the timing of health reversals.
Calls for support
Diabetes UK said the findings showed the drugs were “not a quick fix”. “They need to be prescribed appropriately, with tailored wraparound support alongside them,” said Dr Faye Riley.
The Obesity Health Alliance said weight regain reflected wider food environments rather than personal failure. An NHS spokesperson said the drugs must be combined with lifestyle and behavioural support to maintain long-term benefits.
Sources: The Guardian, BMJ, University of Oxford
