A doctor on This Morning has revealed a new weight-loss jab set to tackle obesity in England.
Doctor Nighat Arif spoke to presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about a brand new injection that will be a 'game changer' for thousands in the UK.
Dr Arif said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have now approved Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, to become available on the NHS.
It will be given to adults with at least one weight-related condition and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35.
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The drug, which is given via a pen injector, suppresses the appetite through mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that is released after eating.
This makes people feel full, meaning they eat less and lose weight as as a result.
In comparison to the placebo effect weight loss strategy, Dr Arif said you can lose two-and-a-half stone.
"Wegovy is the injectable version of the drug and this is a massive game-changer," explained Dr Arif on This Morning.
"Roughly the statistics are one in four adults in the UK are categorised as over obese.
"Now the NICE guidance has given us authority to give Wegovy to our patients."
Explaining how it works, the NHS doctor said: "What it does is it controls the way fat is stimulated in your body and compared to the placebo group there is two-and-a-half stone weight loss.
"If you look at diet and exercise they have to underpin changes when it comes to weight loss but this is a real game changer for those with a BMI over the age of 30.
"That means long term conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular are preventable."
In some cases, people with a BMI of 30 may be able to access the drug.
