Is This The End of Ob*sity?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or the shrinking elephant, to be more accurate. 

Semaglutide has now become a household name. It’s primarily used in the treatment for Type 2 Diabetes under the medication name, Ozempic, and now its being hailed as the drug (Wegovy) that can end ob*sity. 

Let’s break this down a little. 

Is Wegovy effective for weight loss? 
So far, studies have shown some success. The results can vary WIDELY. About 50% of study participants have seen anywhere from 5-15% losses in total body weight. Some saw ZERO changes. That’s a lot higher than dieting’s dismall 2-3 % success rate, but it’s still not 100%. 

Are there any side effects? 
Yes, a large percentage of study participants have gastrointestinal side effects including constipation, nausea, diarrhea and cramping. Hair loss, dizziness, fatigue and abdominal pain are also common. 

Is this a pill or injection? 
Weekly injections are given for a period of four months before the higher levels of semaglutide necessary for weight loss are reached. Dosage increases steadily over the course of four months. Continued weekly injections of the medication are necessary for drug efficacy. The drug is aimed at altering the hormone GLP-1 which acts to regulate appetite. 

Who’s being left out of initial studies? 
So far, Novo Nordisk (the drug manufacturer) is not allowing study participants for Wegovy to have any history of depression, psychological disorders, pregnant women, women wanting to become pregnant or those who are breastfeeding. 

Is there a shortage? 
Yes, demand has exceeded supply which is scary for those needing cardiac risk reducing semaglutide (Ozempic) for Type 2 Diabetes. 

Is this the end? 
No, it’s not the end. It’s the beginning of another drug promising the moon. Long term side effects aren’t known, not everyone wants to give themselves injections nor can tolerate the drug for a myriad of reasons and the best results have shown 15% body weight loss. That might sound like a lot, but it's not. Here's some perspective for you: for a 350 pound person, this would mean they might get down to 300 pounds. That is not even considered "small fat" by most standards.

There still is and always will be body diversity. 

So what if you take it? 
Whatever you do is always up to you and nobody will pretend to not understand the desire to be smaller in a world that overtly treats people in larger bodies poorly. Larger people have less access to clothing options, housing, healthcare, jobs, travel and dining options and so much more. Not to mention the assumptions about character for larger people including laziness, lack of cleanliness, low willpower and greed. Living in a large body is hard. Trying to shrink your body permanently is also hard. Having this so called "easy option" puts significant pressure on those living in larger bodies as everyone else just flippantly assumes they should be taking advantage of this miracle solution.

There are no easy answers. We don't have all the long term information. It's not a free option as MOST people will experience substantial side effects. 

This is NOT the end of body positivity either. The fight for equal rights and fair treatment of people in all shapes and sizes is alive and well.  

For a thorough discussion and more information, please listen to this podcast.