Oxford Study: Rapid Weight Regain After Stopping Loss Drugs

A new study from the University of Oxford has revealed that individuals using popular weight loss medications regain nearly all the weight they lose within about 1.7 years after discontinuing treatment, underscoring the need for long-term support to sustain benefits. The research, published in the British Medical Journal, analyzed 37 clinical trials involving more than 9,000 participants who received drugs such as semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy and Ozempic, and tirzepatide, known as Mounjaro. Treatment lasted an average of 10 months, with follow-up periods averaging eight months.

Participants lost an average of 8.3 kilograms during treatment but regained 4.8 kilograms within the first year after stopping. Those using newer GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Mounjaro experienced even greater initial losses, averaging nearly 15 kilograms, yet regained 10 kilograms in the first year and returned to their starting weights within 1.5 years. The rate of regain was approximately four times faster than in behavioral weight management programs, which emphasize diet and exercise and allow participants to maintain losses for around four years.

The medications, originally developed...