Danish researchers studied over 77,000 people using weight loss medications without diabetes. They discovered troubling dropout rates. More than half of participants stopped treatment within one year. Eighteen percent quit in three months, 31 percent in six months, and 42 percent in nine months.
Professor Reimar W. Thomsen from Aarhus University called the results alarming. He explained that these drugs must be taken long term to deliver sustained benefits. Stopping the medication reverses appetite control and weight reduction.
Factors Driving Patients to Stop Treatment
The analysis revealed that men, younger adults, and residents of low-income areas quit more often. People with chronic health conditions or prior psychiatric and gastrointestinal drug use also abandoned treatment at higher rates. Researchers suggested unpleasant side effects like vomiting or nausea may have contributed.
Adults under 30 proved 48 percent more likely to stop in the first year compared with adults between 45 and 59. Residents of poorer neighborhoods were 14 percent more likely to discontinue than those in wealthier areas.
The price of treatment also emerged as a possible barrier. In Denmark, a month’s supply of Ozempic costs up to €313 without government support, compared to €120 in Germany.
Implications for Public Health and Patient Care
GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, mimic a natural hormone that suppresses appetite. Millions of people worldwide rely on these drugs to manage obesity and related risks. However, dropout undermines their potential.
Thomsen urged stronger patient support systems to prevent high discontinuation rates. He stressed that these medications can reduce risks of cancer, addiction, and heart disease if used consistently.
He added that with more than half of adults in Europe living with overweight or obesity, healthcare systems must target interventions that improve adherence. Long-term commitment, he argued, remains critical for better outcomes and improved quality of life.
