Study Finds Weight Returns Quickly After Stopping Weight-Loss Jabs

People who stop using weight-loss injections regain the weight they lost in under two years, a major study has found. The drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed for diabetes and work by suppressing appetite. The analysis, led by researchers at the University of Oxford and published in the BMJ, reviewed 37 studies involving more than 9,300 participants. On average, people regained weight at a rate of 0.4kg per month after stopping medication, returning to their original weight within about 1.7 years. This was almost four times faster than weight regain seen after behavioural programmes such as diet and exercise plans. Researchers also found that improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol faded within roughly 1.4 years of stopping treatment. Experts stressed this reflects obesity being a chronic condition rather than a failure of the drugs or individuals. Organisations including Diabetes UK and the NHS said weight-loss medications should be paired with long-term lifestyle and behavioural support to sustain benefits.