According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, drugs belonging to GLP-1 agonists represent a significant support in the modern approach to the treatment of obesity.
Scientists point out that these preparations are not viewed as independent therapy, but as part of a broader strategy that includes proper nutrition and regular physical activity.
Scientists believe that such an official guideline additionally confirms the transformative potential of GLP-1 drugs, but at the same time clearly emphasizes that lifestyle is still the basis of successful and long-term weight management.
The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced a significant change in the approach to obesity treatment and weight management, recommending GLP-1 agonists as part of structured programs for long-term weight management. In the journal JAMA, the WHO states that these drugs may play a crucial role in treating obesity, but only as a component of a broader approach that includes nutritional counseling, lifestyle changes, and regular physical activity.
Scientists warn that obesity is a recurring chronic disease that still affects more than one billion people worldwide, with significant consequences for public health, mortality, and economic stability. In this context, GLP-1 therapy includes drugs that enable clinically significant weight loss and provide additional metabolic benefits.
WHO urges countries and health systems to develop comprehensive strategies to combat obesity that will not only focus on the individual but also address wider social, health, and economic factors. Scientists clearly emphasize that pharmacological therapy is not sufficient for long-term results.
“Drugs alone cannot solve the global obesity epidemic. Wider availability of GLP-1 therapies should serve as a driver for building a connected and long-term sustainable obesity treatment system”, says the WHO.
Already in September, scientists from the organization included GLP-1 drugs on the list of essential therapies for Type 2 Diabetes, while earlier therapeutic approaches to obesity relied almost exclusively on diet and physical activity, without any medication. The new recommendations are marked as conditional, meaning they require assessment of whether the benefits outweigh the potential risks of implementation. However, the WHO points out that long-term safety and efficacy data, as well as price reductions, are needed to make the therapy available to a consistently wider population.
Obesity Recognized as a Global Health Concern
Meera Alijah, a general and bariatric surgeon and director of the Center for Surgical Treatment of Obesity in California, outlined the new World Health Organization guidelines, which show strong symbolic and practical weight. He points out that with this document, the WHO undoubtedly positions obesity as a severe, chronic disease that affects more and more patients, for which there are valid therapeutic approaches, including pharmacological treatment. Dr. Ali believes that such a guideline could put pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to facilitate access to therapy and reduce its cost, thereby ensuring wider availability of drugs.
Kristin Kirkpatrick, a nutritionist and president of KAK Consulting, estimates that the new recommendations represent a significant shift in understanding body weight management. According to her, the guidelines abandon the idea that diet and physical activity changes are sufficient for all patients. Instead, it is assumed that a combination of drugs from the GLP-1 group and lifestyle changes may offer a more stable and long-term solution for a large number of patients.
Dr. Anil Makam, associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, further emphasizes the importance of GLP-1 therapies through scientific studies and clinical trials in humans, calling them the most significant breakthrough in obesity treatment to date. He points out that this is the first class of drugs to show consistent, strong, and clinically relevant results in reducing body weight. However, he believes that the WHO’s recommendations are too cautious for now, as the available data from clinical studies clearly indicate not only weight-loss effectiveness but also a significant improvement in general health conditions associated with obesity, especially in patients with increased cardiovascular risk.
However, Dr. Dan Azagury, an associate professor of surgery at Stanford, has a different opinion. He observed that guidelines are important and welcome, but noted that they do not bring revolutionary changes to existing knowledge in the profession. Finally, Dr. David Cutler, a family medicine specialist from California, highlights the broader significance of the recommendations already mentioned.
In his opinion, the greatest value of the guidelines lies not only in promoting GLP-1 therapies but also in the warning that obesity is a severe chronic health condition with far-reaching consequences for general health, requiring a comprehensive, systemic, and long-term approach.
Access, Cost Remain Barriers to Obesity Treatment
Kirkpatrick observed that the effect of GLP-1 drugs on body weight is undeniable in a subset of patients. These drugs not only affect the amount of food taken in and appetite regulation, but also change attitudes towards food; they reduce the desire for sweets, industrially processed foods, and alcohol. With such a therapeutic protocol, many patients, as he states, report feeling calmer, with the constant need to think about food easing, making their daily choices much easier, and changing their lifestyle.
However, scientists point out that the therapeutic potential of these drugs has not been fully utilized due to severe systemic obstacles. High prices, limited production, and distribution issues still prevent GLP-1 drugs from being available to everyone with realistic indications. In numerous countries, the lack of access is the primary reason why patients do not receive adequate treatment for obesity, but remain on outdated methods.
Dr. Ali points out that the challenges in producing and pricing preparations are particularly pronounced in countries with less developed health systems, where the problem extends beyond the availability of medicine to include the lack of counseling, a multidisciplinary approach, and long-term support for patients. However, Makam states that, despite these limitations, the potential of GLP-1 therapies remains extremely high. According to him, greater availability and lower prices could lead to a significant reduction in global obesity rates.
The first positive development and beneficial effects are already visible in the United States, where, after decades of growth, the prevalence of obesity is declining, which, he points out, clearly speaks to the power of these drugs when they are available to patients.
What to Know About GLP-1 Drugs
Modern GLP-1 drugs can be divided into two primary categories according to the active substance. The first group includes medicines based on Tirzepatid, such as Mounjar and Zepbound, while the second consists of medicines containing Semaglutide as the main active ingredient, including Ozempic and Wegovy. Although they belong to the same group of drugs, these therapeutic options differ in strength and effects. They have a common mechanism of action-they mimic hormones that regulate the feeling of satiety, reducing hunger, improving portion control, and overall calorie intake.
Dr. Makam points out that the World Health Organization guidelines have simplified this therapeutic area, as all GLP-1 drugs have, until recently, been viewed as a single group. However, he believes that such an approach ignores crucial differences, especially when it comes to drugs with a double effect, such as Tirzepatide, which achieve more pronounced and stable results in the treatment of obesity, but at the same time carry a higher price. Such generalization, as he states, can make proper health and economic decisions.
Numerous scientific and clinical studies confirm that weight loss achieved through GLP-1 therapy, along with the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, provides a wide range of health benefits and improves the patient’s overall health conditions. Studies published in 2023 indicated a potential reduction in the risk of developing certain malignant diseases, while later studies found that these drugs can reduce hospitalizations and the risk of premature death in people with heart failure as the primary complication.
In addition to the metabolic effects, the latest research increasingly indicates that GLP-1 therapies have a wider therapeutic potential, including possible application in the control of addiction and reduction of alcohol consumption, representing potential directions in modern medicine.
Health Dangers from Obesity
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that almost every second adult in the United States is diagnosed with obesity, ranking this issue among the most significant health problems today. Obesity is not seen as an aesthetic issue, but as a long-term, progressive, chronic disease that significantly increases the likelihood of chronic non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular incidents, and specific malignant diseases. In addition to the aforementioned conditions, excess body weight carries with it an increased risk of breathing disorders during sleep, damage to liver function, gall bladder disease, complications during pregnancy, as well as mental health problems, especially in the form of depressive disorders.
Although obesity is often associated with excessive food intake, its occurrence results from a complex combination of factors. A long-term calorie surplus is the basis of the problem, but its development is also influenced by genetic factors, chronic sleep deprivation, long-term exposure to stress, and changes that come with aging. A major contributor to the development of obesity is the modern diet, especially the frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are high in calories and low in nutritional value, making it even more difficult to maintain metabolic balance.
Expert Advice on Weight Loss
Dr. Makam observed that the foundation of any weight-loss program must be a proper, balanced diet, dominated by plant foods, with controlled, pre-planned portions. According to him, pharmacological therapy can provide significant support, but its effects have limitations and cannot replace lifestyle changes; it can only improve and maintain the achieved results. In severely obese individuals, GLP-1 drugs can have a profound and transformative impact on body mass and metabolism.
However, in these cases, weight often comes back after stopping therapy, as these drugs work gradually and are intended for continuous, long-term use, with careful titration of the dose. Dr. Cutler points out that although GLP-1 therapies currently represent the safest and most effective pharmacological option for the treatment of obesity, their use must be considered due to possible side effects. Scientists advise that treatment should always begin with non-pharmacological measures, such as changing the diet and increasing physical activity, while drugs are introduced only when these approaches do not bring the desired results.
According to Cutler, weight loss without the use of drugs is possible, but it takes time, consistency, and activity. Losing weight is a process, not an immediate change, and involves gradually adopting healthier habits with pharmacological support. Dr. Azagury further emphasizes that successful treatment of obesity requires professionally managed, long-term, and multidisciplinary care. Since it is a chronic condition, the best results are achieved in centers that offer a combination of behavioral therapy, nutritional support, medications, and surgical options, tailored to each patient’s needs.
Kirkpatrick agrees with previous claims, indicating that working with a doctor allows patients not to depend solely on medication but to simultaneously work on diet structure, physical activity, supplementation, and risk monitoring, with adequate adjustment of therapy. Dr. Ali concludes that, regardless of the therapeutic options chosen, whether it is medication, surgical procedures, counseling, or a combination thereof, all of these methods serve to support lifestyle change. The long-term success and sustainability of the results depend above all on the patient’s active participation and consistency, as without following the recommendations on diet and lifestyle, the achieved results rarely remain permanent.
