{"id":253476,"date":"2024-08-12T12:35:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T12:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/12\/heres-the-real-reason-ozempic-like-weight-loss-drugs-are-so-popular\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:12:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:12:33","slug":"heres-the-real-reason-ozempic-like-weight-loss-drugs-are-so-popular","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/12\/heres-the-real-reason-ozempic-like-weight-loss-drugs-are-so-popular\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s the real reason Ozempic-like weight-loss drugs are so popular"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Overweight and obesity rates have reached crisis levels and are risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and other diseases.<\/p>\n

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The CDC estimates that that almost a third of Americans are now overweight<\/a> and 42% of adults \u201chave obesity,<\/a>\u201d now categorized as a disease. Childhood obesity is up\u2014one in five kids<\/a> are estimated to be affected.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just an American crisis. The World Obesity Federation predicts that 51% of the world\u2019s population will be overweight or obese<\/a> within the next 12 years.<\/p>\n

Causes include sedentary lifestyles, as more people work and play in front of computer screens, the food and beverage environment, eating more out of home, fewer safe places for physical activity, genetics, and taking certain medications.<\/p>\n

GLP 1 drugs in action<\/h2>\n

Along have come new, highly popular GLP 1 weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Oprah Winfrey did a TV special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution.<\/em><\/a> After years of up and down weight, Oprah says it\u2019s not your fault: Obesity is a disease. She\u2019s losing weight on one of the new drugs and helping move the market. However, insurance coverage, including Medicare, will have the biggest impact on usage.<\/p>\n

Brian Kay of Numerator, a research firm, reports that some 12% of respondents<\/a> in their household panel are using one of the new GLP 1 drugs for diabetes and\/or weight loss. About 75% say they are consuming smaller portion sizes and \u2013 based on Numerator\u2019s purchase data \u2013 their grocery bills are down 6 to 9%. \u00a0Alcohol and ice cream purchases have decreased while fish and yogurt are up. However, the main reason consumers report discontinuing the drug is cost \u2013 and then grocery spending returns to previous levels.<\/p>\n

All this has major financial implications for the food and beverage industries, restaurants, food service operators, health insurance companies, and Medicare. And the total cost in health care, lost productivity, corporate insurance, and long-term care is enormous.<\/p>\n

How we got here<\/h2>\n

In recent decades, food consumption has increased dramatically. The portion sizes for bagels, cheeseburgers, ice cream, restaurant servings of spaghetti, meatballs, and more are ever larger.<\/p>\n

Many restaurant chains compete on volume meals, and consumers often equate volume with value. One result is considerable waste. ReFED, a research group, estimated that 70% of food wasted in restaurants is left on plates<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The journal Addiction <\/em>describes \u201chyper-palatable foods\u201d<\/a> as a kind of food engineering in which fat, sodium, sugar, and other additives can also drive people to crave and overeat. Northeastern University\u2019s Network Science Institute indicates that 73% of the U.S. food supply is ultra-processed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Getting consumers to change their behavior is a tall order. Many are confused, misguided, or indifferent about eating healthier.<\/p>\n

A Navy officer once told me about the difficulty of re-enlisting highly trained non-commissioned officers who became too heavy to meet Body Mass Index guidelines. \u201cWe make \u2018em taller. You\u2019d be surprised how many 5\u201910\u201d guys are now 6\u20192\u201d\u2014at least on paper.\u201d<\/p>\n

A decade ago, the McKinsey Global Institute<\/a> found that portion control was the most promising strategy for promoting a healthier lifestyle. In response, the Portion Balance Coalition (PBC)<\/a> was formed as an alliance of major food and beverage companies, nonprofits, academics, and government to reduce obesity and improve health. It is led by the Business for Impact Center<\/a> at Georgetown University.<\/p>\n

Hank Cardello, the food and beverage expert chairing the Portion Balance Coalition, points out \u201cstubborn roadblocks\u201d to positive change. \u201cTaste is everything. If consumers clamored for broccoli, it would be in every meal, snack, and beverage,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Recent research<\/a> by the Coalition and the Natural Marketing Institute revealed five consumer segments:<\/p>\n