Drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound can lead to significant weight loss.
But a new advisory warns that without proper nutrition and lifestyle support, people may face muscle loss, weight regain and high long-term costs once they take themselves off the medications.
Experts from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society contributed to the report, which noted that only about half of users continue taking their GLP-1 medication after one year and only about 15% remain on treatment after two years.
Many people stop taking GLP-1 medications due to side effects, cost or disappointing results — and when they do, they often regain weight, making long-term success depend on consistent use and a healthy diet, the report stated.
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, the report’s lead author, says for someone to achieve success, they need to commit to comprehensive lifestyle changes.
“The FDA says these drugs are approved for use as an adjunct to lifestyle therapy,” he told ABC News. “In fact, they are prescribed the other way around with lifestyle therapy being the adjunct if being thought about at all. Doctors are not following either society guidelines or FDA guidelines if they are prescribing [GLP-1s] without lifestyle therapy.”
Before starting, the report recommended that patients work with their doctors to set goals that focus on overall health, not just weight loss.
People should usually start at the lowest dose and slowly increase as needed, the report said. Patients should also be aware that nausea is common when taking these drugs and this may trigger cravings for sugary, high-calorie comfort foods that work against weight loss. To stay on track, the report recommended eating small, frequent meals and focusing on minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods.