Update of 5/7/2023: Meanwhile, I have read more about recent new and apparently effective obesity medications. I have also out of ignorance disregarded the benefits of such medications for obese people who suffer from diabetes. Here is my latest blog post about this subject.
Good news! However, would not behavioral, lifestyle, and dietary changes suffice in many cases of obesity? Some skepticism is in order!
I am not to sure, I find the results that impressive!
How much of a disease is obesity?
"... They described the details of an investigation of a promising anti-obesity medication in teenagers, a group that is notoriously resistant to such treatment. The results astonished researchers: a weekly injection for almost 16 months, along with some lifestyle changes, reduced body weight by at least 20% in more than one-third of the participants. [Do you think this is an impressive outcome? Rather dubious!] Previous studies had shown that the drug, semaglutide, was just as impressive in adults. ...
This energy has pervaded the field of obesity medicine for the past few years. After decades of work, researchers are finally seeing signs of success: a new generation of anti-obesity medications that drastically diminish weight without the serious side effects that have plagued previous efforts. ...
These drugs are arriving in an era in which obesity is growing exponentially. Worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975; in 2016, about 40% of adults were considered overweight and 13% had obesity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). With extra weight often comes heightened risk of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. The WHO recommends healthier diets and physical activity to reduce obesity, but medication might help when lifestyle changes aren’t enough. The new drugs mimic hormones known as incretins, which lower blood sugar and curb appetite. Some have already been approved for treating type 2 diabetes, and they are starting to win approval for inducing weight loss.
The ability to melt weight away by tweaking biology gives credence to the idea that obesity is a disease. [????] ...
Research questions abound, including who will respond to treatment and whether people will have to take these drugs for life — a huge barrier to access, given that they also carry a hefty price tag: the injections often cost upwards of US$1,000 each month. ...
This energy has pervaded the field of obesity medicine for the past few years. After decades of work, researchers are finally seeing signs of success: a new generation of anti-obesity medications that drastically diminish weight without the serious side effects that have plagued previous efforts. ...
These drugs are arriving in an era in which obesity is growing exponentially. Worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975; in 2016, about 40% of adults were considered overweight and 13% had obesity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). With extra weight often comes heightened risk of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. The WHO recommends healthier diets and physical activity to reduce obesity, but medication might help when lifestyle changes aren’t enough. The new drugs mimic hormones known as incretins, which lower blood sugar and curb appetite. Some have already been approved for treating type 2 diabetes, and they are starting to win approval for inducing weight loss.
The ability to melt weight away by tweaking biology gives credence to the idea that obesity is a disease. [????] ...
Research questions abound, including who will respond to treatment and whether people will have to take these drugs for life — a huge barrier to access, given that they also carry a hefty price tag: the injections often cost upwards of US$1,000 each month. ...
The seeds of today’s success were sown decades ago, when Jeffrey Friedman was racing to figure out which gene mutation was making the mice in his laboratory eat until they became obese. ... discovered that the faulty gene encoded leptin, a hormone that is produced by fat tissue and induces a feeling of fullness. Giving leptin supplements to mice that lacked it reduced their hunger and body weight.
“That really revolutionized our thinking about the biological basis of obesity and appetite regulation,” ...
Those receiving weekly injections of semaglutide lost, on average, 14.9% of their body weight after 16 months of treatment; those who received a placebo lost 2.4% on average.
Historically, it hasn’t been possible to safely decrease body weight by more than 10% through pharmacological methods ..."
Those receiving weekly injections of semaglutide lost, on average, 14.9% of their body weight after 16 months of treatment; those who received a placebo lost 2.4% on average.
Historically, it hasn’t been possible to safely decrease body weight by more than 10% through pharmacological methods ..."
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