Ozempic Is Killing Off Weight Loss Surgeries. That's a Problem

Key Points:

• Researchers have found a significant decline in bariatric surgeries in the U.S. in 2024, dropping 23% from a peak in 2022, coinciding with the rising popularity of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss.
• GLP-1 drugs, which mimic the hunger-regulating hormone GLP-1, have proven effective for weight loss but generally result in less weight reduction compared to bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.
• Bariatric surgery remains the most effective and cost-efficient treatment for severe obesity, offering greater and more durable weight loss, but the surge in GLP-1 drug use may be leading some patients to forgo surgery even when it is the better option.
• The study highlights concerns that marketing and popularity of GLP-1 medications might overshadow the benefits of surgery, and urges patients to consider all treatment options, especially those with severe obesity who might benefit most from surgical intervention.
• Researchers plan to further investigate patient decision-making in obesity treatment, emphasizing that both GLP-1 therapies and surgery could be complementary, and noting that currently, a very small percentage of eligible patients receive bariatric surgery or GLP-1 treatment.