The breakthrough of weight loss jabs ‘opens the possibility of an end to the obesity pandemic’, says the World Health Organization (WHO) – but risks still need to be considered.
The global health agency said it has concerns that unless health systems prepare properly, the drugs could distort the response to the global obesity crisis, risking leaving people behind and overshadowing other steps to improve health.
The new drugs ‘have the potential to be transformative’, according to the WHO’s chief scientist, Jeremy Farrar, its director of nutrition, Francesco Branca, and his senior adviser, Francesca Celleti, in an opinion piece.
The article is the agency’s clearest comment yet on the potential of weight loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
However, they say the ‘medication in isolation will not be enough to address the obesity crisis’, calling instead for a push towards considering the condition a chronic disease. They also encourage further study into how best to prevent and treat obesity.
The article says that while there is good evidence for the effectiveness of policies aimed at healthy diets and regular exercise, ‘it is time to recognise that…(they) have so far failed to treat obesity’.
Weight loss jabs for unemployed
In October, the government announced that unemployed people with obesity could receive weight loss jabs as part of a new trial.
The trial will examine the impact of weight loss drugs on reducing worklessness.
In an opinion piece for The Telegraph, Wes Streeting said illnesses caused by obesity can lead to an extra four sick days a year, with others forced out of work entirely.
As a result, he believes the jabs could be ‘life-changing’ and help people get back to work.
He also added that ‘widening waistbands’ are putting a ‘significant burden on our health service’. The illness currently costs the NHS £11 billion a year – more than smoking.
The long-term benefits of weight loss jabs could be ‘monumental’ in tackling obesity, Streeting said.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
