Reacción a "A meta-analysis confirms weight regain after discontinuing anti-obesity drugs"

This is an excellent analysis given the data limitations, but the findings are not unexpected and align with what we already know: weight-loss drugs work well when taken consistently, and weight regain typically occurs after stopping them.  It’s also unsurprising that weight loss with medication is somewhat faster than with lifestyle changes, as participants in lifestyle trials tend to be more motivated and have greater self-efficacy compared to those in drug trials.

Importantly, continued use of these medicines over 3–4 years enables people to maintain significantly lower weight than they would otherwise – a benefit not typically seen with lifestyle-induced weight loss, where many regain weight over time.

This paper cannot yet tell us whether short-term use offers lasting benefits for organs, but it’s plausible that being lighter for even 2–3 years due to short term use of the medicines could help slow damage to joints or hearts and kidneys.  Larger and longer outcome trials will be needed to answer that question.

Finally, while the editorialist argues that ‘healthy dietary and lifestyle practices should remain the foundation for obesity treatment,’ this overlooks the reality of our highly obesogenic environments.  In such settings, medicines are essential for many people living with very high BMIs to manage their weight effectively.