- The obesity rate in the United States has skyrocketed in the past decade and is currently at a record high.
- Clinical tests involving the drug semagglutide have seen obese patients lose an average of 33 pounds in just over a year.
- Pharmacist Novo Nordisk has already applied for FDA approval to use the drug – which is currently used to fight type 2 diabetes – as an anti-obesity drug.
The rate of obesity in America has skyrocketed in recent years, mainly because unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles are more common today than ever before. Consider this: the rate of obesity in the USA in 2021 is almost 30% higher than in 2008. What’s more, recent health data shows that an impressive 42% of all Americans are currently obese. In fact, 2020 was the first time that the obesity rate in the United States exceeded the 40% limit. Given the above, it is not surprising that heart disease remains the leading cause of all deaths in the United States
While exercise and a healthy diet remain the best plan of attack in the battle against obesity, not everyone is in a position to incorporate these lifestyle changes due to financial or health considerations. A new drug, however, may be exactly the answer that people are looking for.
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The drug in question is called semagglutide and is already used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Recent clinical studies, however, show that administering a higher dose of the drug can help obese individuals start losing weight.
According to research recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the drug helped people lose an average of 15% of their body weight after 68 weeks. To put this in context, someone who weighs 135 pounds can lose more than 20 pounds in just over a year while taking semaglutida. In addition, more than 33% of study participants reported losing 20% of body weight while using the drug. The average amount of weight loss by study participants was around 34 pounds.
MedPageToday he adds:
In addition to weight loss, semagglutide also improved cardiovascular risk factors, including further reductions in waist circumference, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein and fasting lipid levels, as well as scores of physical functioning and quality of life.
“This is a major step forward in improving the health of people with obesity,” said Professor Rachel Batterham, from University College London, about the study. “No other drug has come close to producing that level of weight loss – this is really a game changer. For the first time, people can achieve through medication what was only possible through weight loss surgery ”.
The researchers note that the improvements seen in patients taking semaglutide are much greater than the current anti-obesity drugs on the market. The drug regimen itself is not terribly expensive and requires the individual to take only one pill once a week.
In the wake of the successful clinical trial, drugmaker Novo Nordisk is currently seeking FDA approval to use the drug as a weight-loss drug.
A longtime Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the technology industry in general for over 6 years. His writings were published in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK and, more recently, TUAW. When not writing and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys watching Improv shows in Chicago, playing football and cultivating new addictions to TV shows, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.