Weight-loss drugs could halve sickness absence and significantly reduce the strain on the NHS, according to new research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.
Key Findings on Sick Leave Reduction
A UK study of patients who received GLP-1 injections for nine months found that sickness days fell by nearly half, while sickness absence lasting five days or more dropped by more than 50%. The research assessed 1,270 NHS patients on Oviva's tier 3 weight management programme, all of whom were prescribed GLP-1 injections for weight loss alongside at least three weight-related illnesses, most commonly anxiety, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
The majority of participants took semaglutide (either Wegovy for weight loss or Ozempic for type 2 diabetes). After nine months, they lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight, and their average BMI fell from 45 to 39. Sick days among those who took the jabs fell by 45%, with a 56% reduction in long-term sick leave, classed as absences of five days or more.
Impact on GP Visits and A&E Attendance
Patients also required fewer GP appointments. Face-to-face consultations dropped by an average of 43%, and remote consultations by 48%. More than 60% of patients said they did not contact their GP at all during the study period. A separate study of 738 patients prescribed the jabs found that A&E visits among the group fell by one quarter.
With about 30% of adults in England classified as obese, experts suggest that expanding the programme to the 3.4 million people currently eligible for weight-loss jabs on the NHS could free up nearly 10 million GP appointments annually, saving the health service approximately £364 million per year—equivalent to almost 3% of the GP core budget.
Expert Commentary
Martin Fidock, UK managing director of Oviva, a provider of digital healthcare services, said: “Britain is in the grip of a productivity crisis, and obesity is one of the biggest drivers. Our data shows that when people get the right treatment—jabs combined with proper clinical support—they don’t just lose weight. They get back to work, stop relying on their GP, and start living again.”
Dr Charlotte Refsum, director of policy at the Tony Blair Institute, described the findings as “striking”. She added: “Broader access to anti-obesity medications could deliver significant gains for the economy alongside major savings for the NHS. This study brings that to life in the real world—showing not just substantial weight loss, but fewer GP visits and more people staying in work.”
Additional Benefits: Asthma and Migraines
Two separate Danish studies, also presented at the conference, suggested that the drugs have a beneficial impact on asthma and migraines. Researchers found that patients with asthma who were overweight, obese, or had type 2 diabetes and took semaglutide or liraglutide experienced a 26% reduction in asthma exacerbations (including hospitalisations) compared with the year before. There was also a 14% reduction in the use of asthma inhalers and a 23% decrease in daily inhaled corticosteroid exposure. Pneumonia events were reduced by 10%. These effects were observed within a month of starting GLP-1s, before significant weight loss had occurred.
The second study found that 18- to 35-year-olds receiving Wegovy for weight management had an 18% reduction in the use of acute migraine triptan medication. Further studies are needed to establish the dose effect and whether similar findings can be replicated for other GLP-1s.
