Entertainment
Study shows how fast kilos return after ending weight-loss drugs
PARIS: When people stop taking the new generation of weight-loss drugs they pile back on the kilos four times faster than they would after ending diet and exercise regimes, new research found Thursday.
But this was mostly because they lost so much weight in the first place, according to the British researchers who conducted the largest and most up-to-date review of the subject.
A new generation of appetite-suppressing, injectable drugs called GLP-1 agonists have become immensely popular in the last few years, transforming the treatment for obesity and diabetes in many countries.
They have been found to help people lose between 15% to 20% of their body weight.
“This all appears to be a good news story,” said Susan Jebb, a public health nutrition scientist at Oxford university and co-author of a new BMJ study.
However, recent data has suggested that “around half of people discontinue these medications within a year,” she told a press conference.
This might be because of common side effects such as nausea or the price — these drugs can cost over $1,000 a month in the US.
So the researchers reviewed 37 studies looking at ceasing different weight-loss drugs, finding that participants regained around 0.4 kilogrammes a month.
Six of the clinical trials involved semaglutide — the ingredient used in Novo Nordisk’s brands Ozempic and Wegovy — and tirzepatide used for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.
While taking these two drugs, the trial participants lost an average of nearly 15 kilogrammes.
However after stopping the medication, they regained 10 kilogrammes within a year, which was the longest follow-up period available for these relatively new drugs.
The researchers projected that the participants would return to their original weight in 18 months.
Measurements of heart health, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels, also returned to their original levels after 1.4 years.
People who were instead put on programmes that included diet and exercise — but not drugs — lost significantly less weight. However it took an average of four years for them to regain their lost kilos.
This meant that people taking the drugs regained their weight four times faster.
‘Starting point, not a cure’
“Greater weight loss tends to result in faster weight regain,” lead study author Sam West of Oxford University explained.
But separate analysis showed that weight gain was “consistently faster after medication, regardless of the amount of weight lost in the first place,” he added.
This could be because people who have learned to eat more healthily and exercise more often continue to do so even as they regain weight.
Jebb emphasised that GLP-1 drugs “are a really valuable tool in obesity treatment — but obesity is a chronic relapsing condition.”
“One would expect that these treatments need to be continued for life, just in the same way as blood pressure medication,” Jebb said.
If this was the case, it would impact how national health systems judge whether these drugs are cost-effective, the researchers emphasised.
“This new data makes it clear they are a starting point, not a cure,” said Garron Dodd, a metabolic neuroscience researcher at the University of Melbourne not involved in the study.
“Sustainable treatment will likely require combination approaches, longer-term strategies, and therapies that reshape how the brain interprets energy balance, not just how much people eat,” he said.
Alan Cumming’s moment on the Hollywood Walk of Fame turned into an unexpected talking point when a very familiar face showed up to support him.
As the Scottish actor received his star, fans quickly noticed that Monica Lewinsky was right there by his side, proudly backing him during the ceremony.
Cumming, 60, looked every bit the star in a bright turquoise suit jacket paired with matching shorts as he celebrated the milestone.
But it was Lewinsky, 52, who surprised many by attending as one of his closest supporters.
Dressed in a striking red pantsuit, she joined him on stage, shared a warm kiss with him in front of the crowd and delivered a heartfelt speech that made it clear their friendship runs deep.
While the pairing may have caught some fans off guard, Cumming has spoken openly about his bond with Lewinsky for years.
Back in 2016, he explained just how important she is in his life during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live.
“She is really one of the kindest, most loyal, loving, tender, funny girls I’ve ever known. I mean, I think she’s really one of my best friends,” he said at the time. “Yeah. And she’s been at my wedding. She knows my family.”
Cumming has previously shared that he met Lewinsky around 16 years ago at a Marie Claire party, and the two have remained close ever since.
While promoting his memoir Not My Father’s Son, he again praised her character, saying, “She’s absolutely one of the most loving, fun, clever, tender people.”
He added, “The fact that she’s been able to remain such an amazing person with all that horrible bile that was heaped upon her as a young woman is testament to the person she is.”
Decades after Lewinsky became a household name due to her past with former US President Bill Clinton, her presence at Cumming’s ceremony highlighted a genuine friendship built away from headlines.
On this day, the focus stayed firmly on loyalty, support and celebrating a career milestone together.
Two people were taken to hospital after being shot by US federal agents in Portland, Oregon, police said on Friday.
The incident has added to growing tension in the area, with officers urging residents to stay calm while investigators work to find out what happened following a separate shooting a day earlier in Minneapolis.
“Two people are in the hospital following a shooting involving federal agents,” Portland police said in a statement.
“We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more,” police chief Bob Day said.
Police said they were not involved in Thursday’s shooting.
The FBI said it was probing the shooting in which US Customs and Border Protection agents were involved.
“Their conditions are unknown. Officers have determined the two people were injured in the shooting involving federal agents,” Portland police said in their statement.
Portland City Council president Elana Pirtle-Guiney was cited by an ABC News affiliate as saying that, as far as she knew, they were still alive.
“FBI Portland is investigating an agent-involved shooting that happened at approximately 2:15 pm near the 10000 block of Main St. in Portland,” FBI Portland said on social media.
Further details on the circumstances of the shooting in Portland were not immediately clear.
On Wednesday, a US Immigration agent’s fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mother of three in Minneapolis drew condemnation from local officials and sparked widespread protests in Minnesota and beyond.
Tina Knowles is marking a very special milestone for her granddaughter Blue Ivy, and she did it in a way that felt deeply personal and full of love.
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, Knowles celebrated Blue Ivy’s 14th birthday by sharing a heartfelt Instagram post that quickly caught the attention of fans.
The 72-year-old author posted a collage featuring 14 photos of Blue Ivy taken across different stages of her life, a clear nod to the birthday being celebrated.
Alongside the snaps, Knowles wrote an emotional message that reflected on Blue Ivy’s journey from before she was even born to the young teenager she is today.
She affectionately described her granddaughter as her “manager, makeup artist, fashion adviser, and my love,” setting the tone for the tribute.
In her caption, Knowles looked back on the moment the family first learned Beyoncé was expecting.
“I remember the day that we found out about you being in your mom‘s womb. We could not have been more excited! We were told that you were the size of a blueberry and that is where your name came from!” she wrote.
She also shared how the family came together in prayer during those early weeks.
“We all prayed together for you every single day till you were 12 weeks old in your moms belly! Then we prayed individually until you arrived months later.”
Knowles went on to describe Blue Ivy as strong and sharp from the very beginning, noting that it was clear she was “a fighter from the beginning.”
She fondly recalled their time playing Princess and Barbie dolls, praising Blue Ivy’s imagination and early intelligence.
The message ended on a proud and loving note.
“To say that I’m a proud grandmother is an understatement!” Knowles wrote, adding that despite Blue Ivy’s many accomplishments, she remains “a very sweet, kind humble human being.”
Knowles is a grandmother to four grandchildren in total, including Blue Ivy, her younger siblings Rumi and Sir, and Solange Knowles’ son Julez.
Still, this birthday post made it clear that Blue Ivy’s 14th birthday was one Tina Knowles wanted the world to celebrate right along with her.
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