Weight Returns Quickly After Stopping GLP-1 Obesity Drugs, Study Finds
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
A review by Oxford researchers of 37 studies finds GLP-1 class obesity drugs (e.g., semaglutide, tirzepatide) cause large weight loss—about 15–20%—but stopping treatment leads to rapid regain, averaging 0.4 kg per month. Participants who lost about 15 kg regained roughly 10 kg within one year, and most returned to baseline weight by around 18 months. Cardiovascular measures like blood pressure and cholesterol also tended to revert about 16 months after stopping. In contrast, weight loss from diet and exercise is slower and smaller but more durable, taking roughly four years on average to regain weight. Researchers emphasize GLP-1 drugs should be viewed as a starting tool for obesity treatment, and patients need to be aware of high risk of weight rebound after discontinuation.
