New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) suggests that greater weight loss while taking popular GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, and Mounjaro may significantly reduce the risk of several obesity-related health problems. The findings also showed that people who gained weight after starting treatment generally faced worse health outcomes.
The study was led by Professor John Wilding from the University of Liverpool in the UK along with fellow researchers.
Greater Weight Loss Linked to Better Health
GLP-1 based medications, including semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), liraglutide (Saxenda), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), are widely used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials have already shown that these drugs can help people lose weight and improve overall health. However, researchers wanted to better understand what happens in real-world settings, where many patients stop taking the medications and weight changes vary considerably.
To explore this, the team analyzed data from Optum Market Clarity, a large US electronic health record and insurance claims database. The researchers examined patients who started GLP-1 based treatments between January 2021 and June 2024.
