Overview
- An Oxford-led meta-analysis of 37 studies (9,341 participants) found weight increased by about 0.4 kg per month after stopping weight-loss medications, with a projected return to baseline in roughly 1.7 years.
- The newer drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide were linked to faster regain of about 0.8 kg per month, with weight projected to return to baseline in around 1.5 years.
- Cardiometabolic improvements seen during treatment, including better blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose measures, were projected to revert to pre-treatment levels within about 1.4 years of stopping.
- Weight regained after discontinuing medication was nearly four times faster than after behavioral programmes, which typically see a gradual drift back toward baseline over about four years.
- High discontinuation and cost pressures persist, with roughly half of users stopping within a year, NHS limits Wegovy to two years in some pathways, and experts urging long-term, integrated care; separate real-world data show bariatric surgery achieves about five times more weight loss than GLP‑1 drugs at two years.