People who use weight-loss medications, such as Ozempic and other similar drugs, tend to regain their lost weight in less than two years after stopping treatment, and do so at a faster rate than those who rely solely on behavioral strategies to control their weight, such as meal plans and exercise routines. This is the main conclusion of a meta-analysis carried out by researchers at the University of Oxford, who warn that the use of anti-obesity drugs must be framed in a comprehensive and long-term approach to achieve truly sustainable results.
The analysis systematically reviewed 37 studies published through February 2025, which evaluated the effects over time of a wide variety of medications used for weight loss. These included everything from older treatments, such as orlistat, to new generation drugs, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, among which Ozempic stands out.
In total, specialists analyzed data from 9,341 patients who received drug treatment for an average of 39 weeks. Subsequently, the participants were followed for an average period of 32 weeks after discontinuing the medication, with the aim of observing the evolution of body weight and other health indicators.
In addition to changes in weight, the study evaluated changes in several relevant biomarkers, such as blood pressure, blood glucose levels and cholesterol. The results were compared with those of a control group made up of people who managed their weight through behavioral interventions, without pharmacological support, which made it possible to identify differences in the evolution of these parameters between both strategies.
The research, published this week in the scientific journal The BMJrevealed that, on average, people who stopped using weight loss medications regained about 0.4 kilograms per month. At this rate, The patients returned to their initial weight in an estimated period of between one and a half and two years. In the case of newer drugs, such as Ozempic, recovery was even faster, with an average monthly gain of 0.8 kilograms and a return to the original weight approximately 1.5 years after stopping treatment.
This finding is especially relevant if one considers that, according to previous observations, about 50% of people with obesity discontinue weight loss medication after the first 12 months of use. The combination of a high dropout rate and rapid weight regain poses significant challenges for the clinical management of obesity.
The researchers also determined that The speed of weight gain after stopping the medication was up to four times greater than that observed in people who maintained their weight control through structured diets and physical activity programs. This difference underscores the role of behavioral interventions as a key component for long-term stability.
Ozempic works, but it is not a “miracle drug”
Sam West, a postdoctoral researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study, explained that these trends do not reflect a lack of drug effectiveness. “This is not a deficiency of the drugs, but rather that obesity is a chronic and recurring disease. These results are a warning against short-term use without a more comprehensive approach to weight control,” he said.
While previous studies have suggested that drugs like Ozempic can significantly reduce the risk of premature death associated with cardiovascular disease, the meta-analysis also identified that the cardiometabolic benefits are not maintained after stopping treatment. Through a mathematical calculation, the specialists concluded that indicators such as blood pressure, glucose levels and cholesterol returned to values similar to the initial ones in an average of 1.4 years after stopping the medication.
