A weight loss drug that's taking Hollywood by storm is worth the hype - but it won't fix New Zealand's obesity epidemic, an expert says.
Endocrinologist Dr Rinki Murphy told Q+A the obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment Semaglutide, more commonly known as Ozempic, has seen people lose 15% of their weight in "spectacular" results.
"I think they are [worthy of the hype]. They're actually heralding in a new generation of medications that are targeting the very hormones that are dysregulated in people who have obesity," the University of Auckland academic said.
But, those benefits occur within the individual, Murphy said.
"It's certainly not going to solve the obesity epidemic… with all those environmental and socio-economic layers that we have to address.
"[Ozempic is] not going to be the magic bullet. But it's certainly a very worthy component in our treatment of individuals who are suffering from obesity and its complications," she said.
Ozempic was approved by MedSafe last month.
It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. That means it mimics the action of a hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar. It helps users lower their food intake by reducing feelings of hunger and slowing down digestion in the stomach.
The drug has side effects for some people, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
Ozempic is given as a weekly injection and must be accompanied by a diet and exercise regime.
A fresh approach to obesity treatment
From June, Murphy will be leading Te Mana Ki Tua, a new specialist weight management service in Auckland's Counties Manukau.
As part of the 12-week programme, people who are ineligible for bariatric surgery will get wrap-around support from a range of experts and whānau as they undergo low-calorie meal replacements.
Patients may then have bariatric surgery or use medicines to help maintain their weight loss.
"It's quite motivating to have that 12 weeks where people are losing weight – and significant amounts of weight – so the work of maintaining that weight loss can begin," Murphy said.
"So, that's the wraparound [support] around health psychology, dieticians. [We're] really trying to make sure… we're setting up people to succeed."
Te Mana Ki Tua is based on a programme in the UK that has helped people in type 2 diabetes remission without needing bariatric surgery.
Seven out of 10 adults in Counties Manukau are either overweight or obese – the highest in any region.
Murphy said there are multiple reasons behind it: the high availability of processed food, socioeconomic factors and the cost of living.
"In any given environment, people have a different tendency to gain weight. It’s not a level playing field," Murphy said.
She added: "It's a really good opportunity to examine our own obesity bias and exercise both self-compassion, in terms of people who are living with obesity, but also think about empathy as we would for people who have a diagnosis of cancer, for example.
"That kind of empathy is simply not as readily available for people who are living with obesity."
Q+A is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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