GLP-1 drugs linked to faster weight regain after stopping, review finds

A BMJ review found people who stopped GLP-1 weight-loss medications regained weight faster than those who stopped diet or exercise programs, averaging about 0.4 kg per month and roughly 10 kg in the first year.

A new review published in BMJ examined adults with overweight or obesity who stopped weight-loss medications and compared them with people who stopped behavioural weight programs. The authors reviewed randomized trials and observational studies involving more than 6,000 adults treated with GLP-1s or older weight-loss drugs and about 3,000 people in behavioural programs. Clinicians and researchers say the results matter because regained weight can raise risks for diabetes and heart disease. Key findings: - People who stopped weight-loss drugs containing GLP-1s regained weight faster than those who stopped diet or exercise programs. - The review found an average regain of about 0.4 kg per month, totaling roughly 10 kilograms in the first year after stopping treatment. - Participants who stopped medication regained weight nearly four times faster than those who stopped behavioural programs. - About half of people with obesity on GLP-1 drugs discontinue within a year, commonly for cost or gastrointestinal side-effects. - The authors used modelling that suggested risk markers for diabetes and heart disease could return to pre-treatment levels in less than two years after stopping medication. Summary: The review suggests that weight-loss medications with GLP-1s are often followed by relatively rapid weight regain once treatment stops, and that many people discontinue these drugs within a year for reasons including cost and side-effects. Undetermined at this time.