By Sara Stanner

The surge in demand for weight loss injections has prompted a profound question: Are we witnessing the early signs of a shift in the treatment landscape for obesity in Britain where medication could begin to eclipse nutrition, exercise and wider public health measures?

And, if so, what will this mean for future health inequalities?

There is no doubt that weight loss medications, such as Wegovy or Mounjaro, represent a major advance in obesity management. They can support clinically meaningful weight loss and, for many, help break the exhausting cycle of repeated weight loss and regain, although it’s important to note that they don’t work for everyone. With obesity among the UK’s leading causes of preventable illness, costing the NHS an estimated £6.5 billion a year, these drugs offer a valuable tool. However, they are not a replacement for the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle.

These drugs work largely by suppressing appetite, which means that people eat less. In a population where many adults already fall short of........

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