Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are changing the weight loss industry.
Organizations and medical professionals dedicated to weight control and obesity reduction are beginning to see the effects that the renewed introduction of weight loss drugs has had on the industry.
WeightWatchers is one organization that has had to adjust.
WeightWatchers generally advocates that participants manage their weight without using drugs. Instead, WeightWatchers encourages participants to control their weight by managing food intake, exercising, and implementing other lifestyle changes. Such methods have already been championed by medical professionals to curb obesity, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
But toward the end of 2022, the weight loss organization’s membership dropped to 3.5 million members from 4.2 million, according to the company’s website. Sima Sistani, chief executive of WeightWatchers, told The Wall Street Journal that the organization could have treated some of its constituents “better” and that these medications could be used to serve them.
“For some, these medications can help them adhere to a program like WeightWatchers,” said Sistani, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Other weight loss companies have also maintained that the introduction of new weight loss medication could be a boon to the industry. Kent Bradley, chief health and nutrition officer of Herbalife, told The Wall Street Journal that while long-term change requires a shift in lifestyle, Herbalife views its role as a company as an alternative and supplement to medication.
In addition, it was not long ago that weight loss medication was approved for use in children. The approval and recommendation for adolescents to use weight loss medication came after officials recognized the increasing prevalence of obesity and, accordingly, expanded BMI charts.
But medications such as Ozempic, while capable of reducing obesity, are not without some risk factors, such as vision changes, kidney problems, gastrointestinal issues, and more. Some individuals have stood in opposition to this medication for these and other reasons.
“The early side effects are massive nausea and diarrhea,” said Dan Chard, chairman and chief executive officer of Medifast, according to The Wall Street Journal. “The more concerning parts are the unstudied side effects,” he continued.
Other entities are hoping that the trend of this medication will decline.
“I’m always hoping that there are places like us that are the voice of reason,” said Dr. Stephen Brewer, medical director at Canyon Ranch, according to The Wall Street Journal.
It is uncertain how the industry shift caused by these weight loss drugs might impact Dallas, but for now, the city remains one of the most overweight metropolitan areas in the U.S.
