People who stop taking weight loss jabs regain all the weight originally lost in under two years, significantly faster than those on any other weight loss plan, according to a landmark study led by academics at the University of Oxford and published in the BMJ.
The analysis, which reviewed 37 existing studies involving 9,341 participants, found that weight was regained at a rate of 0.4kg per month after stopping medication, with participants returning to their original weight within an average of 1.7 years. This rate of regain was almost four times faster compared with behavioural programmes, regardless of the amount of weight lost during treatment.
On average, people on weight loss medication lost 8.3kg during treatment but regained 4.8kg within the first year. The benefits on cardio-metabolic health markers, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, also returned to original levels within 1.4 years of stopping treatment.
Dr Sam West of the University of Oxford said: “This isn’t a failing of the medicines – it reflects the nature of obesity as a chronic, relapsing condition. It sounds a cautionary note for short-term use without a more comprehensive approach to long-term weight management.”
Dr Faye Riley of Diabetes UK added: “Weight loss drugs can be effective tools – but this research reinforces that they are not a quick fix. They need to be prescribed appropriately, with tailored wraparound support.” An NHS spokesperson said the drugs “must be paired with behavioural and lifestyle wraparound support”.
