Serious questions are being raised about the long-term benefits of popular weight loss injections after new research revealed a rapid rebound effect once treatment stops.
The 'Miraculous' Weight Loss and the Sobering Reality
Injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have been celebrated as revolutionary tools in the fight against obesity. Clinical trials showed participants losing an impressive 15% to 20% of their body weight, results described as "almost miraculous" compared to traditional diet and exercise plans.
However, a critical new review of the evidence has cast a shadow over these outcomes. The research, examined by experts from the University of Oxford, found that the lost weight often returns swiftly when the medication is discontinued.
Sam West, Dimitrios Koutoukidis, and Professor Susan Jebb detailed their findings, stating: "Our latest research reveals what happens next, and it’s sobering. On average, in clinical trials, people regain all the weight they lost within just 18 months of stopping the medication."
The Cost Conundrum and NHS Implications
This rapid rebound presents a major challenge for both individuals and the healthcare system. Currently, one in 50 people in the UK are using these treatments, with roughly 90% paying privately at a cost of £120 to £250 per month. More than half stop within a year, primarily due to the expense.
The experts warn that to maintain benefits, the drugs may need to be taken long-term, potentially for life, which drastically alters their cost-effectiveness for the NHS. Health improvements like better blood pressure and cholesterol also disappear when treatment ends.
"This matters because it means these drugs may need to be taken long-term – potentially for life – to maintain the benefits," the Oxford researchers emphasised. They also noted that support programmes offered alongside the jabs did not appear to slow the weight regain after stopping.
Cheaper Alternatives and the Question of Fair Access
The analysis raises significant issues regarding fairness, as obesity is more prevalent in deprived areas where private treatment is least affordable. NHS access is currently restricted to those with a BMI over 40 and at least four obesity-related conditions.
For those not yet qualifying for NHS prescriptions, the experts point to more traditional, cost-effective options. Total diet replacement programmes, using nutritionally balanced shakes and soups for 8-12 weeks, can achieve similar initial weight loss at a fraction of the drug cost.
Group-based programmes like WW and Slimming World also offer cost-effective support, sometimes even saving the NHS money, though average weight losses are smaller.
The researchers concluded that while the new medications highlight a desperate public demand for weight loss help, their long-term value for money remains unclear. Making proven, cheaper programmes widely available could offer fairer access and improve public health, even if individual results are less dramatic than those possible with lifelong medication.
