Sales of GLP-1 agonists obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are semaglutides, and Mounjaro and Zepbound, which are tirzepatides, were $6 billion in 2023. Morgan Stanley Research predicts the global market for obesity drugs to increase over 20-fold by 2030 with sales as high as $144 billion. The obesity drug impact on longevity further influences health benefits and challenges, economic implications and creates social and ethical issues.
Health Benefits and Challenges
Effective Weight Loss – The obesity drug impact has shown substantial efficacy in helping individuals lose significant amounts of weight. These drugs work by slowing stomach emptying and decreasing appetite and users lose 10% to 20% of their body weight on average.
Improved Health – Obesity is responsible for more than half of Type 2 diabetes cases and can be linked to more than 200 other chronic diseases. The obesity drug impact was a 73% reduction in the risk of developing diabetes and a 20% drop in the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths.
Side Effects and Long-Term Safety – “Just because we’re losing weight doesn’t always mean we’re getting healthier,” says Michelle Hauser, Obesity Medicine Director of the Stanford Lifestyle and Weight Management Center. All ways of losing weight, including dieting, typically involve losing muscle mass as well as body fat. Lose too much muscle and you can experience fatigue and a slower metabolism. In studies, 20-40% of the weight lost by people taking these obesity drugs is muscle mass. Long-term safety of these drugs is still under review as the weight loss seems to reverse itself once the drug intake is stopped.
Economic Implications
Pharmaceutical Industry Growth – The obesity drug impact on sales growth, with significant investment by the pharmaceutical companies, is driving up the sector’s market value potentially adding tens of billions of dollars annually.
Healthcare Cost Savings – Obesity cuts life expectancy by as much as ten years and obese people spend as much as $3000 more per year on health care than the general population. This reduced obesity savings is offset by longer life spans costing more as they age…but these individuals will also continue paying into their healthcare and Medicare programs.
Access and Affordability – The high cost of these drugs is a concern, especially for those without adequate insurance coverage. There is a growing debate over how to make these medications accessible to all who need them.
Social and Ethical Issues
Changing Perceptions of Obesity – As these drugs become more widely used, there could be a shift in how society views obesity, potentially reducing stigma but also raising concerns about over-reliance on pharmaceutical solutions instead of lifestyle changes.
Equity in Access – There is a risk that these treatments widen health disparities if they are only accessible to wealthier individuals, leaving lower-income populations without effective obesity management options.
Ethical Concerns – The obesity drug impact through marketing raises ethical questions about promoting medication use over holistic health approaches, such as diet and exercise, and the financial impact on the traditional weight loss industry of diet plans, exercise programs and supplements.
Forty percent of U.S. adults are classified as obese and another 30% are considered overweight. It is and continues to be a health crisis. “The fundamentals of obesity management will always be changes to diet and exercise,” says Vijaya Surampudi, Assistant Director of the UCLA Weight Management Program. “But having anti-obesity medications is another tool in the toolbox.”
