NHS must exploit 'exciting new world' of obesity drugs - experts

The NHS must accelerate its use of weight loss jabs, experts argue, as a "golden age" of weight loss medications starts.

- Anna Bawden

Obesity is linked to numerous long-term conditions, including cancer, heart disease, dementia and diabetes, putting a huge strain on the health service.

Trials show that weight loss jabs such as semaglutide, better known as Wegovy and Ozempic, are associated with a reduced risk of 42 conditions, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

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.

New research, presented at the European Congress on Obesity yesterday, and sponsored by the manufacturer Novo Nordisk calculated that Wegovy can reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes or early death within three months of treatment - even before people are able to lose much weight.

Prof Donna Ryan of Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a coauthor of the research, told the conference that the results "should change public policy everywhere".