What You Should Know About Weight-Loss Drugs, Nutrition, and Long-Term Health

We’ve all seen media headlines showcasing the latest generation of weight-loss drugs, including brands such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy. These remarkably effective medications offer unprecedented opportunities for people who have long struggled with excess weight. Many who have taken the medications say that the drugs “worked when nothing else did” and that the meds “finally turned off the food noise in my brain.”

But for those seeking to improve their health through weight loss, are the effects of these new weight-loss drugs enough?

The Rise of Highly Effective Weight-Loss Drugs

The new medications are called “GLP-1 agonists”—meaning they mimic GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone which helps regulate blood sugar levels. For this reason, the medications were initially a tool that clinicians prescribed for managing diabetes.

People receiving these new drugs for diabetes experienced an unexpected benefit: dramatic weight loss. The medications have since become a powerful new way to treat overweight and obesity. Patients routinely report losing 15-25% of their body weight on the new drugs. And while the testimonials speak volumes, it’s important to look beyond just the number on the scale.

Weight Isn’t the Only Concern

Historically, the strategy used by most people seeking to lose weight has included careful choices about the type and amount of foods consumed. But with the availability of these new and highly effective drugs, do food choices still matter? If you can successfully lose weight through pharmaceuticals, does it really make a difference what foods you eat?

The answer? A resounding yes—because losing excess weight isn’t the only diet-related factor that impacts health.

Why Food Still Matters

It’s no secret that excess weight is associated with a host of life-threatening conditions—including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more. So it might seem logical to assume that when you lose the weight, you also lose the risk. And that’s partially true—overweight and obesity do contribute to a patient’s risk profile. But there’s inherent danger in underestimating the significance of the foods you consume.

The truth is, food still matters—and a healthy diet is vital for anyone who wants to live a longer, better life. Successfully reducing your weight, or even reaching a weight-loss goal, does not cancel out the need for healthy, nutrient-dense food.

“Normal Weight” Does Not Necessarily Mean Healthy

Even people who achieve and maintain a seemingly “healthy” weight can be vulnerable to the ill effects of a poor diet. Case in point: an eye-opening study from the U.S. Burden of Disease Collaborators examined the top 17 risk factors associated with U.S. deaths. Leading the list was poor-quality diet—an even greater risk than simply having a high BMI (body mass index).

Another study, originating in Sweden, examined the lifespans of people who tended to eat a healthy diet—one that emphasized vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and small amounts of dairy, while minimizing red and processed meat—and compared them to those with lower-quality diets. The researchers found that even among people with a BMI in the “normal” range, those who were least likely to eat healthfully had a 60% increased risk of death!

Yet another notable study involving 30,000 participants in the U.S. found that among people with a “normal” weight, healthy eating was associated with a 21% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

But Keep in Mind: Weight Still Matters Too

The studies above underscore how diet quality is a powerful driver of health for all of us, regardless of weight. But it’s important to note that even the healthiest diet won’t remove the risks associated with overweight and obesity. The ideal goal is to work toward both a healthy body weight and a healthy diet.

Weight Loss Drugs and Long-Term Health Implications

A common question among people who are considering the new weight-loss drugs: “If I start the meds, will I ever be able to stop taking them?”

It’s still unclear whether there’s an effective off-ramp—patients may need to stay on the drugs indefinitely to maintain their weight loss. Besides the obvious financial implications, this raises important health questions too.

One concern voiced by some physicians about long-term use of the new weight-loss medications is that they produce such remarkable appetite suppression that some people dramatically lose interest in cooking and savoring food. Unless there is a concerted effort to maintain a healthful diet, people taking the meds may run the risk of consuming insufficient nutrients and an overall poor-quality diet. This dietary shift, especially over a prolonged period, can lead to diminished health.

For those who do seek to stop the meds at some point, it’s crucial that they’ve learned and practiced healthy eating patterns—otherwise, they face the inevitable challenge of gaining back the pounds they lost while on the drugs.

The Takeaway: Diet Quality Matters at Every Body Weight

Whether you are currently at your target weight or working toward that goal through lifestyle changes or other means, it’s important to fuel your journey with healthful foods as much as possible. Diet quality matters at every body weight.

To learn more about how good nutrition supports good health, we invite you to check out Nutrition For Optimal Health, our interactive nutrition learning resource for the public—it’s open to anyone (and it’s available in Spanish too!). And for young people, we offer Food As a Superpower—a fun, surprising, graphic-novel themed learning experience designed especially for teens and young adults.