Would you consider taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic? Poll of the week

Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After 72 hours the poll closes and, each Friday, we'll publish and analyse the results, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers.

The popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has soared in recent months. Now, a new landmark study has suggested that the medications could benefit cardiovascular health.

Researchers from University College London found that study participants taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in weight loss injections, had a 20% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular issues.

Semaglutide was found to benefit the cardiovascular of participants no matter what their starting weight was or how much weight they had lost after taking the drug. Professor John Deanfield, lead author of the study and director of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research, described the medication as “a gamechanger”.

He added that the study suggests there are “potentially alternative mechanisms for that improved cardiovascular outcome with semaglutide beyond weight loss”.

Semaglutide was launched in the UK on 4 September 2023 under the brand name Wegovy. It is available on the NHS as an option for weight management, and patients must meet certain criteria in order to be eligible to receive the treatment.

The criteria include having at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease, and either a BMI of at least 35 or a BMI of 30 to 34.9, provided they meet the criteria for referral to specialist weight management services.

However, weight loss drugs have come under great scrutiny as they rise in popularity. It comes as a rising number of people who do not meet the NHS criteria to be eligible for the drug are choosing to get the medication on illegitimate sites.

Research by Asda Online Doctor published earlier this year found that one in five adults used a weight loss treatment like diet pills or Ozempic injections without consulting a doctor.

It found that 29% of adults bought the treatments on illegitimate sites, while a quarter used someone else’s prescription. A further quarter made their purchase through social media.

The safety of weight loss drugs have also been called under question. In July 2023, Ozempic was one of a class of drugs that came under review after being linked to reports of suicidal or self-harming thoughts among patients. Another drug, Saxenda, which contains the active ingredient liraglutide, was also reviewed.

The rising use of these drugs as weight loss treatments has also led to a shortage of diabetes medication, which contain semaglutide to help manage blood glucose levels. Diabetes UK released a statement in March warning of serious supply issues of drugs for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Tell us if you would consider taking weight loss drugs to bring your body weight down in our Poll of the Week:

In addition, let us know if you are worried about the safety of these new weight loss drugs:

Come back on Friday to read the results and analysis via the link below.

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