Weight Loss & Obesity News & Updates

July 29, 2025 — More and more doctors and scientists say BMI alone won’t tell you much about health, yet it remains the standard assessment for diagnosing obesity. Here’s why.

July 17, 2025 — Modern weight loss medications represent a breakthrough, but they are most effective when combined with the right lifestyle strategies. Here's what that looks like.

May 12, 2025 — In the first head-to-head trial of its kind, people with obesity who took tirzepatide (sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound) lost more weight and inches from their waist than those who took semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy).

April 14, 2025 — The FDA and the maker of the popular diabetes and weight loss drug Ozempic are warning people not to use counterfeit semaglutide 1.0 milligrams — the Ozempic injection — found in the U.S. drug supply chain.

March 26, 2025 — A new study suggests that restoring the pleasure of eating – not suppressing it – may help people eat more intentionally and avoid falling into patterns, offering a possible new way to treat obesity.

March 13, 2025 — A new study says that married men may have triple the risk of obesity, compared to unmarried men, and that marriage seems to increase the likelihood of being overweight in both sexes – by 62% in men and 39% in women.

February 12, 2025 — People with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 medicines may experience potentially blinding eye conditions as soon as the day after starting the drugs, and eye doctors are now asking their patients to be vigilant in speaking up about any vision changes while taking them.

February 7, 2025 — People living in areas where obesity is more common may experience less stigma, which could help reduce some of the social and health consequences of being overweight.

January 17, 2025 — Medicare will negotiate the prices of weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic with drug companies, a move that could create big savings for seniors who take the drugs, the Biden administration announced Friday.

December 5, 2024 — Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs have surged in popularity, dominating U.S. medication spending in 2023 for their effectiveness in managing diabetes and promoting weight loss. As demand grows, promising new drugs like tirzepatide and retatrutide—offering even greater weight-loss potential—could become the “next Ozempic,” though high costs, side effects, and limited access remain significant challenges.

December 4, 2024 — People taking the weight loss drug Zepbound experienced dramatically greater weight loss than competitor Wegovy in the first head-to-head trial.

December 2, 2024 — Taking weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound can help people cut back on what they eat and also on what they drink – including alcohol.

November 26, 2024 — In its announcement, the Biden administration called anti-obesity medicines “life-saving drugs,” noting that they can also prevent diabetes.

November 19, 2024 — The critical key to weight loss success? Sustainability. No single diet or plan works for everybody, but a secret formula does exist – and it’s unique to you.

November 19, 2024 — More than half of U.S. adults now qualify to take semaglutide, the popular diabetes and weight loss drug sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy.

November 12, 2024 — As the FDA issues a new warning about aspiration across all GLP-1 weight loss drugs, doctor groups are giving new recommendations.

November 6, 2024 — Labels for drugs like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Saxenda now warn against aspiration risk during surgery.

October 31, 2024 — A new study suggests that weekly self-injections of the weight loss drug semaglutide could reduce knee pain from moderate osteoarthritis by nearly 50%.

September 24, 2024 — A new CDC report says severe obesity is becoming more common in the U.S. Nearly 1 in 10 adults have severe obesity, and women are more likely than men to have the health condition. Yet from 2013 to 2023, the overall obesity rate held relatively steady around 40%.

September 16, 2024 — The move to self-administration with a syringe and needle, just like how insulin is often taken for diabetes, means a whole new set of people will be learning the sometimes-intimidating skill.

September 13, 2024 — Obesity remains a significant health issue in the United States, even as weight loss drugs are getting more popular, according to new data from the CDC.

September 5, 2024 — Microplastics, found in food, beauty products, and in the air, may add to weight gain by mimicking hormones like cortisol, which can disrupt metabolism and increase obesity risk.

August 27, 2024 — The maker of the weight loss drug Zepbound is offering the drug at a reduced price for people willing to buy it directly from the company in vials, rather than auto-injector pens.

August 20, 2024 — The weight loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Zepbound, was highly effective at reducing the risk of progressing from prediabetes to the more serious condition of type 2 diabetes, according to an early look at study results released Tuesday by drugmaker Eli Lilly.

August 7, 2024 — There are various options for managing weight after achieving weight loss goals with drugs. Maintaining lifestyle changes alongside medication adjustments is crucial for sustaining weight loss success.

August 6, 2024 — Compounded semaglutide is flooding the internet, and consumers are drowning in dosing errors. But problems also exist with the brand-name versions of the drugs.

August 5, 2024 — Researchers who bought the weight loss drug semaglutide online without a prescription were scammed or sent potentially toxic liquids that did not contain the labeled amount of the drug.

July 30, 2024 — Drugs for diabetes and weight loss like Ozempic and Wegovy show promise in helping people quit smoking, offering a surprising extra benefit for users.

July 23, 2024 — GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic were intended to treat diabetes, but their weight loss-inducing effects swiftly caught the nation’s attention. Over the past decade, the proportion of people using them for weight loss has doubled, while the proportion of people taking GLP-1s to treat diabetes is declining.

July 23, 2024 — Ozempic is already sometimes difficult to find. Now those who are using to drop a few pounds are making it harder for those who need it.

July 15, 2024 — New research suggests that taking Ozempic isn’t linked to an increased risk of 22 different brain or psychiatric disorders, ranging from dementia to drug addiction to depression and suicidality.

July 11, 2024 — More than 8 of 10 people who started taking drugs for weight loss stopped taking them within 2 years, according to a new analysis.

July 9, 2024 — In a head-to-head comparison of the weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Ozempic, Mounjaro came out on top for helping people lose more weight. It was also found to be more effective at leading to significant weight loss compared to Ozempic.

June 24, 2024 — Imagine losing twice as much weight just by getting supportive text messages and financial incentives. For men struggling with obesity, this innovative approach proved more effective than traditional weight management programs. Could this be the future of successful weight loss strategies?

June 13, 2024 — Doctors are offering surgical and nonsurgical treatments for “Ozempic face” for those who have facial aging after rapid weight loss from a GLP-1 medication.

June 4, 2024 — Semaglutide, found in weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, has been found to improve sensitivity to taste, perhaps explaining another way the medications help change food preferences and lead to weight loss.

June 3, 2024 — If you’re one of the many trying to start – or refill – a Wegovy or Zepbound prescription for weight loss, it’s tough out there. The new reality? Spending hours on the telephone with pharmacists and insurance company people.

May 29, 2024 — Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have taken the year by storm, with users hyping the extreme weight loss results, sometimes hundreds of pounds. These GLP-1 medications, which are used to treat diabetes and obesity, help suppress your appetite by keeping you fuller for longer. But what happens when these drugs don't bring you what you’d hoped? Here's what to know.

May 21, 2024 — Total weight loss was not significantly different between men and women in the surgery group. But in the non-surgery group, women lost 6.4%, compared to 4.8% among men, a significant difference.

May 14, 2024 — People with heart problems who took the weight loss drug Wegovy maintained an average weight loss of 10% of their body weight 4 years after starting the drug, according to newly released study results.

April 26, 2024 — Before there was Ozempic, there were these cost-friendly, safe, and highly effective weight loss drugs. FDA-approved obesity medication like orlistat (Xenical), phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia), and naltrexone/bupropion extended release (Contrave) have been on the market for decades.

April 24, 2024 — Weights, aerobics, and … Wegovy? Some in the fitness industry are moving to dispense the popular GLP-1 medications to club members, combining the new, easier method of losing weight with the old, more challenging one.

April 19, 2024 — A little visceral fat is helpful. It cushions your heart, lungs, and the organs in your gut. Too much, though, and it becomes a bad player. So what can you do to lessen your health risks?

April 12, 2024 — Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a nonsurgical weight loss procedure, is more cost-effective over a 5-year period than using semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs, a new study shows.

April 11, 2024 — A growing body of evidence shows that it's not just what and how much you eat that influence your health. How fast and when you eat also play a role.

March 29, 2024 — While applauding the role that these behavior-based weight management programs play in a comprehensive approach, an academic weight loss doctor thinks the order is backward.

March 15, 2024 — With summer months approaching – and pressures that come with showing more skin – more and more young adults are looking to GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic, to get prepped for “swimsuit season.” But experts say there are critical things to consider before reaching for such medications, particularly for those struggling with body image issues.

February 22, 2024 — It might not produce results as dramatic as regular injections, but you can get everything you need in a grocery store, for far less money -- and this approach has the potential to improve your health in numerous ways.

February 8, 2024 — People taking a popular type of drug for weight loss or to manage diabetes have a decreased likelihood of being newly diagnosed with depression or anxiety, according to an analysis of millions of people’s health records.