With the growing popularity of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor) drugs for the treatment of obesity, there has been a significant shift in weight management strategies. A recent study found that the growing use of these medications has contributed to around 25% reduction in weight loss surgeries.
In a large-scale study involving data from over 17 million privately insured adults, researchers analyzed national trends in GLP-1 prescriptions and the frequency of metabolic bariatric surgeries. The results suggest that while anti-obesity medication prescriptions more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, the rate of weight loss surgeries experienced a notable decline of 25.6%. The results were published in Jama Network Open.
