Study Finds Rapid Weight Regain After Stopping Weight-Loss Jabs

People who stop using weight-loss injections regain lost weight in under two years, according to a major new study. The analysis, led by researchers at the University of Oxford and published in the BMJ, reviewed 37 studies involving more than 9,000 participants using GLP-1 agonist medications. These drugs, originally developed for diabetes, help suppress appetite by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone. Researchers found that participants regained weight at an average rate of 0.4kg per month after stopping treatment, returning to their original weight within about 1.7 years. Weight regain occurred nearly four times faster than after behavioural weight-loss programmes. Improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol also reversed within 1.4 years. Experts say the findings highlight obesity as a chronic condition and stress the need for long-term support alongside medication.