I believe that I read the weight will return once people stop taking this drug. If that is correct, then consumers will have no incentive to correct diet and exercise patterns, which have distinct health benefits apart from weight loss.
Do we even know the long-term effects of taking this drug?
Short-term clinical trials cannot capture long-term effects (like cancer). Wegovy's short-term side effects are like most weight-loss drugs: nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach. The 60 Minutes piece addressed those fairly. But you're exactly right, this becomes a life-long medication, like cholesterol-lowering drugs, unless the underlying causes of obesity are addressed. 60 Minutes suggested it's mostly genetics. For some, yes. But it lacks explanatory power for the relatively recent (past half century) upsurge in obesity. For many people, diets have changed substantially in the last 50 years. We all get less exercise as physical labor and walking were eliminated from daily routines. Toxics in the environment may play a role. Any long-term approach to the problem must address those issues.
I believe that I read the weight will return once people stop taking this drug. If that is correct, then consumers will have no incentive to correct diet and exercise patterns, which have distinct health benefits apart from weight loss.
Do we even know the long-term effects of taking this drug?
Short-term clinical trials cannot capture long-term effects (like cancer). Wegovy's short-term side effects are like most weight-loss drugs: nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach. The 60 Minutes piece addressed those fairly. But you're exactly right, this becomes a life-long medication, like cholesterol-lowering drugs, unless the underlying causes of obesity are addressed. 60 Minutes suggested it's mostly genetics. For some, yes. But it lacks explanatory power for the relatively recent (past half century) upsurge in obesity. For many people, diets have changed substantially in the last 50 years. We all get less exercise as physical labor and walking were eliminated from daily routines. Toxics in the environment may play a role. Any long-term approach to the problem must address those issues.