A REVOLUTIONARY new fat-busting jab used by Hollywood stars is coming to a high street near you.
The drug, known as Wegovy, will be available on prescription in Boots pharmacies, offering hope to millions of Brits caught in a cycle of yo-yo dieting.
GettyEnergy-dense foods, which tend to be foods high in healthy fats, protein or simple sugars, can help you lose weight[/caption]
It’s already used to manage type 2 diabetes, but now will also be prescribed to treat obesity after the NHS watchdog NICE issued draft guidance recommending it as a weight-loss aid.
Previous trials showed people taking the drug lost on average 12 per cent more of their body weight, compared to people on a placebo.
The jabs have allegedly helped billionaire business mogul Elon Musk shed the pounds, and are rumoured to have helped Kim Kardashian fit into that Marilyn Monroe dress for the Met Gala.
But how much do we really need these fat busting jabs? And can we use food as medicine to replace them?
According to nutritionist, Emma Beckett, from the University of Newcastle, Wegovy works by supressing our appetite – this is why it works for weight loss.
To do this, an ingredient found in the fat-busting drug, known as Semaglutide, mimics the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
“This hormone is normally produced in response to detecting nutrients when we eat,” Emma wrote in the Conversation.
GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten, and prepare it to use the energy that comes from your food.
What foods can trigger the same reaction?
Energy-dense foods, which tend to be foods high in healthy fats, proteins or simple sugars, trigger GLP-1 secretion in the body, Emma said.
“This means a healthy diet, high in GLP-1 stimulating nutrients can increase GLP-1 levels,” she explained.
Foods that help GLP-1 levels:
AvocadosNutsLean protein sources like eggsVegetablesWhole grains
“This is why high fat, high fibre and high protein diets can all help you feel fuller for longer,” Emma added.
“It’s also why diet change is part of both weight and type 2 diabetes management,” she said.
Which is more effective?
While diet and the drug both work to shed the pounds, both have their challenges.
Medicines, like Wegovy, have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and issues in other organs.
“Plus, when you stop taking it the feelings of suppressed appetite will start to go away, and people will start to feel hungry at their old levels,” Emma said.
Dietary changes have much fewer risks in terms of side effects – but this route will take more time and effort.
“In our busy modern society, costs, times, skills, accessibility and other pressures can also be barriers to healthy eating, feeling full and insulin levels,” the expert explained.
For some people, medication will be the most effective tool to improve weight and insulin-related outcomes.
And for others, food alone is a reasonable pathway to weight-loss success.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that although Wegovy is coming, it’s not here yet.
The NHS currently only offers Saxenda (a different weight-loss jab) and this is only available on certain weight-management services, which means you have to be referred to weight-management clinics led by experts.
GPs can’t prescribe them on their own either.
“While the science is for populations, health care is individual and decisions around food and/or medicine should be made with the considered advice of health care professionals,” Emma added.
If you’re worried about your weight, speak GP or dietitians to work out what option would work better for you and you needs.