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Weight Loss Benefits from Medication Fade Within Two Years

Published January 8, 2026, 21:12
Weight Loss Benefits from Medication Fade Within Two Years

A large analysis of 37 studies involving 9,341 obese or overweight patients showed that the benefits of weight loss medications fade within two years of stopping their use. Patients regained an average of 0.4 kilograms per month, predicting a return to their initial weight in approximately 1.7 years. The reappearance of cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, was also observed within around 1.4 years. GLP-1 medications, including semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), showed faster weight regain, but the overall return to initial weight was similar to other medications. Researchers emphasize that maintaining weight loss remains a challenge and requires further investigation.