Weight-loss jabs 'could boost British economy by £4.5bn'

Giving weight-loss jabs to everyone eligible for them could boost the British economy by £4.5bn, according to research.

- Anna Bawden

Worldwide, about 3.8 billion people over 25 and just under 750 million children and young people are forecast to be overweight or obese by 2050. In England, 26.5% of adults are obese, while across the UK 4.6 million are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are estimated to cost the UK £100bn a year. While semaglutide, better known as Wegovy and Ozempic, has been linked to a reduced risk of 42 conditions, its impact on quality of life and productivity is less understood.

A new study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, examined data from 2,660 participants in three semaglutide clinical trials in the UK who were living with obesity or type 2 diabetes.

They found that taking semaglutide enabled them to each work five extra days and carry out 12 days of unpaid work such as volunteering, as well as reducing their consumption.

The authors valued these productivity gains – the annual "net production value" – at an average of £1,127 per person.