People who stop taking weight-loss injections regain all the weight they lost within under two years, and at a rate nearly four times faster than those on other weight-loss plans, according to a landmark study led by the University of Oxford.
The research, published in the BMJ, reviewed 37 studies involving 9,341 participants. On average, weight was regained at 0.4kg per month after stopping medication, with participants returning to their original weight within 1.7 years. Those on medication lost an average of 8.3kg during treatment but regained 4.8kg within the first year.
Dr Sam West from the University of Oxford said the rapid regain was not due to the medication itself but reflected the chronic nature of obesity. The study also found that benefits to blood pressure and cholesterol returned to original levels within 1.4 years of stopping treatment.
Dr Faye Riley of Diabetes UK emphasised that these drugs are not a quick fix and require wraparound support. Katharine Jenner of the Obesity Health Alliance called for improvements to the food environment to help sustain long-term benefits.
