The global health body WHO has issued a landmark guideline endorsing GLP-1 medicines for long-term obesity treatment in adults. These drugs — including semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide — can now be used to help those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher lose weight. But the guideline stresses that these medications are not a silver bullet. For real success, they must be combined with healthy eating, regular workouts, and guidance from health professionals.
WHO describes obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease that demands lifelong care — not just a short fix. The new guidance is conditional, reflecting limited data on long-term safety and efficacy, high cost, and lack of access in many countries. The agency is calling on governments and health systems to prepare now: by ensuring equitable access, boosting supply, and building support systems.
Doctors and experts welcome this as a major shift in tackling obesity globally. Still, WHO warns: without structural changes — like better healthcare access, early screening, healthier food environments and public awareness — relying solely on medicine won’t solve the global obesity problem.
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