Overview
In the U.S., obesity rates have been steadily increasing since the 1980s, including a sharp increase in adult obesity starting around 2010, despite much attention and research. In 2023, chronic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, were among the leading drivers of our nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care costs.
When it comes to weight loss maintenance and long-term GLP-1 use, not all patients want to or need to de-prescribe, but many also will for a variety of reasons. For GLP-1 results to scale effectively, reframing the discourse around obesity is critical. Obesity is a complex chronic disease, as classified by the AMA, and it requires longterm––even lifelong––treatment that includes lifestyle interventions to sustain healthy weight loss during and long after GLP-1 use.