The WHO has just released its first global guideline recommending the use of GLP-1 therapies to help treat obesity. These are medicines, originally used for diabetes, that slow digestion, reduce appetite, and support weight loss.
Crucially, the guideline describes obesity as a chronic disease that needs lifelong care, not just a short-term fix. It recommends that GLP-1 treatments may be used long-term in adults with obesity, but only when combined with healthy diet, regular exercise, and supportive lifestyle changes, not as a stand-alone solution.
At the same time, the WHO warns that data on long-term safety and cost remain limited, and that access to these drugs is unequal across countries.
Continue reading further from the official WHO website,
GLP-1 Drugs or other related medication or treatment must be opted with caution, keeping in mind their severe and/or long-term side-effects. And aptly said that such drugs cannot be taken as the sole solution for obesity and/or weight loss. Proper and healthy diet schedule with physical activity (exercise, gym, yoga, walk, etc.) and routine lifestyle habits/ practices play key role in maintaining body’s overall well-being.
Yes, completely relying on medications for weight loss is not advisable. Switching to healthy lifestyle and dietary habits may seem like a slow process, but it is a more appropriate way of maintaining good health.