GLP-1 weight-loss drugs show high dropout and eating-linked response

Two new studies strikingly highlight limits to the early promise of GLP1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy, showing both high rates of early discontinuation among people taking the drugs for weight loss and wide variation in treatment response tied to eating behavior. The findings, reported this month by Danish and Japanese researchers, raise questions about access, long term use, and how clinicians select and support patients on these medications.

A population analysis from Denmark found that more than half of adults without diabetes who started semaglutide for weight loss stopped taking it within a year. Researchers identified 77,310 first time users who began treatment between December 2022 and October 2023 and reported that 52 percent had discontinued by 12 months. Eighteen percent quit within three months, 31 percent within six months, and 42 percent within nine months, the team said. Professor Reimar W. Thomsen, lead author, called the drop off concerning because the drugs must be taken long term to maintain appetite suppression and weight loss.

The Danish analysis linked early discontinuation to several factors. Younger adults aged 18...