At wits end

From slim pickings to slimming pills - we take a look at how yet another weight-loss craze is endangering diabetics

- SINQOBILE SIBISI

Whether for reasons of vanity or health purposes, weight loss is a booming business, taking over social-media trends with 'influencers' and even doctors promoting various slimming products. However, when chronic prescription medication is taken 'off-label' by healthy people looking for a quick fix, this could lead to a health crisis.

In December 2017, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk announced FDA approval of Ozempic (or semaglutide) as a treatment for people with Type 2 diabetes, so-called 'adult-onset' diabetes (often a result of obesity).

Eight clinical trials of more than 8,000 adults showed that the drug worked to improve blood sugar levels and reduced body weight. Type 2 diabetic patients can now use the Ozempic 0.5mg or 1mg pen injection once a week, as advised and prescribed by their doctor, in conjunction with a proper diet plan and exercise.

"Being a highly effective medication to treat both diabetes and obesity, there is huge demand for this class of medication," says Dr Maya Kabbara, a renowned specialist in endocrinology and metabolism based in Dubai.

"On top of that comes the fact that even more people are using it over the counter - when not indicated [for a specific medical condition] - to shed a few kilos, which caused a worldwide stock shortage," she explains. "People who really depend on these medications for diabetes or weight management are no longer able to secure their medical supply, forcing us doctors to look for alternative, less suitable treatment methods."

THE WEIGHT OF IT

When it comes to addressing obesity (in South Africa alone there are reportedly more than 20-million overweight adults), Dr Kabbara believes that there is no quick fix.