Pharmacological Interventions

Pharmacological Interventions

Why are weight-management medicines so important?  

Obesity is becoming one of the most important global health concerns, with more than 650 million adults living with obesity worldwide. In the UK, upwards of three in five adults are overweight or living with obesity (63%). Specifically, obesity is estimated to affect around one in every four adults in the UK and obesity levels have almost doubled since 1993 (from 15% to 29%).

Obesity is a complex disease and a risk factor for several other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Obesity has even been linked to poorer mental health, as the stigma that many people living with obesity face can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. However, current pharmacotherapy treatment options for weight management are limited, and there is a need for additional effective treatment options that can help people living with obesity.

References:

  • House of Commons. Briefing Paper Number 3336, 6 August 2019: Obesity Statistics. Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03336/SN03336.pdf. Last accessed: March 2023

  • World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight Factsheet no. 311. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacen-tre/factsheets/fs311/en.

  • NHS Digital. 2020. Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2020. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet/england-2020/part-3-adult-obesity-copy.

  • Novo Nordisk Canada. Health Canada approves Wegovy™ for the treatment of adults with obesity. Available at: https://www.novonordisk.ca/content/dam/nncorp/ca/en/press-releases/2021/Health- Canada-approves-Wegovy%E2%84%A2-for-the-treatment-of-adults-with-obesity.pdf

  • Sarwer DB, Polonsky HM. The Psychosocial Burden of Obesity. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2016; 45(3):677-88
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