A study about weight-loss medications that was published in the British Medical Journal found that less than two years after stopping medications like Ozempic, the weight came back. All health benefits the drugs provide — lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease — disappeared even faster, returning to pre-treatment levels in just 1.4 years.
While the researchers were surprised how quickly the weight returned, some experts say the drugs are acting just as they would expect — a chronic disease needs chronic treatment.
Even though one in three adult South Africans live with obesity, which is associated with dozens of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and some types of cancer, it’s still not classified as one in South Africa.
For Bhekisisa’s TV show, Health Beat, we talked to Nomathemba Chandiwana, chief scientific officer of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, on why we should.