A new study has found that weight-loss injections could cut workplace sickness by nearly half and significantly reduce pressure on the NHS. Researchers assessed 1,270 severely obese patients on Oviva’s tier 3 weight management programme, with an average BMI of 45 at the start, falling to 39 after nine months.
After nine months of treatment, mostly with semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes), patients' sick leave dropped by 45% and long-term absences of five days or more fell by 56%. Patients also lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight.
The study found that face-to-face GP appointments fell by 43% and remote consultations by 48%. More than 60% of patients did not contact their GP at all during the period. A separate study of 738 patients on the jabs found A&E visits fell by a quarter.
Martin Fidock, UK managing director of Oviva, said: 'Britain is in the grip of a productivity crisis, and obesity is one of the biggest drivers. Hundreds of thousands of people are stuck on long-term sick leave, unable to work, costing the economy billions every year.' He urged the government to prioritise rollout of the treatment.
The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, where another study linked higher BMI to increased loneliness, stress and financial problems. Researchers analysed data from 44,000 Dutch adults and found that severely obese individuals were more likely to report financial difficulties and loneliness compared with those of normal weight.
