By JONEL ALECCIA, AP Health Writer
Whether they’re using a weekly shot or a daily pill, more Americans than ever are turning to anti-obesity drugs to lose weight and improve health.
About 1 in 8 US adults say they take a GLP-1 drug, according to a recent survey by the health research group KFF.
Just since January, more than 600,000 prescriptions have been written for the new Novo Nordisk pill Wegovy, the company said. A preliminary analysis shows that more than a third of users are new to the drug, according to Truveta, a healthcare data company.
But medication alone is not the answer, experts caution. It also takes lifestyle changes – healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep and stress management – to reap the greatest benefits from drugs known as GLP-1s.
“The biggest mistake people make with GLP-1 medications is thinking that the prescription is the medication,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and founder of FlyteHealth, a weight loss treatment company.
GLP-1 can cause weight loss and health benefits on its own, but the effects are greater and last longer when the drug is combined with lifestyle changes, a recent review of nearly three dozen studies found.
Here’s what experts say you need to know about GLP-1 drugs and healthy habits:
It’s not all about weight
Obesity is a big driver of chronic disease, including conditions like heart disease and diabetes. But the focus should be on overall health and not just the numbers on the scale, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrinologist and obesity expert at Harvard Medical School.
“Health is what you eat, how much you move your body, what your blood sugar is, what your blood pressure is, what your cholesterol is,” she said. “All those things are very important.”
GLP-1 drugs work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that slow down digestion and target appetite and feelings of fullness. The effect “levels the playing field,” Saunders says, making it easier to adopt healthy habits like eating less and moving more.
“Social media and advertising sometimes create the impression that these treatments are a quick fix, but obesity is a complex, chronic, progressive disease” that requires ongoing medical management, he added.
What has research shown about GLP-1 and lifestyle changes?
Clinical trials of anti-obesity medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound include structured lifestyle programs and medications, which are recommended with each new prescription.
It causes not only significant weight loss, but also health markers.
A February study of more than 98,000 US military veterans found that those who used GLP-1 and adhered to six to eight healthy habits had a 43% lower risk of serious cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack than those who did not use the drug and followed three or fewer such habits.
lifestyle habits “can substantially increase the benefits of modern medicine” noted Dr. Frank Hu, lead author and chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
Which changes are most important?
To maximize the benefits of GLP-1s and reduce potential side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and muscle loss, Dushay and other experts offer specific advice.
Maintain muscle by eating 20 grams to 30 grams of protein per meal, which can include fish, poultry, yogurt and nuts. Eat more fiber and drink more water – as much as 8 to 12 glasses a day. If heartburn or nausea is a problem, avoid fried foods and spicy foods, and avoid lying down after eating.
Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week, or, ideally, about an hour a day. Add in 30 minutes of strength training two or three times a week, such as lifting weights or using a resistance band.
Get enough sleep – seven to nine hours a day for healthy adults. Take steps to reduce mental and emotional stress.
Finally, check in with your healthcare provider about your progress. GLP-1 drugs can have rare but serious side effects, experts say.
“Someone really needs to track: What’s your weight loss rate? What are your side effects? And not just send in your prescription every month,” Dushay said.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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