There are pros and cons for weight loss medications like Ozempic

‘Ozempic face’. Five years ago, if you’d heard those words you would probably think it referred to an alien species.

But brand names for drugs used for weight loss are suddenly common jargon.

These drugs, which mimic hormones that your small intestine like GLP-1 create a feeling of fullness and were originally used as part of diabetes treatment.

Their new-found uses, prescribed in Australia without government subsidies, are showing a dramatic impact on weight loss.

But this sudden shift in treatment opens up a lot of questions and possibilities about how we think about and treat obesity.

We spoke to three health experts and someone taking these drugs to explore how they contribute to patients’ health and to discuss potential concerns surrounding the sudden surge of interest...