Why Science Backs Semaglutide For Weight Management

For many of us, January is a time for fresh starts and big dreams. Like cosy little grubs emerging from cocoons, it can be the perfect season for starting new, forming fresh habits and identifying our health goals for the year ahead. If getting to a healthier weight is yours, you might be tempted by the quick results of a fad diet. Hold your horses - studies show that 71% of people don’t actually lose any weight at all on these pseudoscientific (aka rubbish!) plans*. It’s time to turn the cold shoulder on cabbage soup, say adios to the Atkins diet and set yourself up for long-term success with the scientifically-proven support of semaglutide medication.

Let's Tackle The 'Weight' Taboo

Focusing on getting to your ideal weight isn’t just about fitting into your old favourite jeans. It can be a sensitive topic, but the reality is that our health is inextricably linked to weight. With obesity trending upwards in the UK, it’s important to be aware of its impact on health, including increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and cardiovascular problems. With heart disease currently the number one cause of death for women in the UK, reaching and maintaining a healthy-for-you weight is really important. However, despite such a good reason to really focus on reaching and maintaining a certain weight, too many people are seduced by the too-good-to-be-true promises of a fad, or crash, diet, rather than a long-term lifestyle change.

What's Wrong With Fad Diets?

Based on minimal, or no, scientific evidence, these plans tend to focus on creating dramatic results as quickly as possible, often via extreme self-denial. Whether advising you to subsist on grapefruit or swear off all sugar and carbs, they sometimes also rely on expensive (and gross) meal replacements or supplements. Another clue that it’s a fad diet is there is zero advice on how to actually maintain your weight loss when you give up the weird regime. Thankfully, contemporary weight management has moved on from these outdated plans. 

As a society, we’re also finally starting to reevaluate the old school advice that eating less and moving more is the secret to weight loss for everyone. In fact, studies show that women don’t necessarily lose weight in the same way as men, due to various factors including muscle mass, hormones, conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and bodily changes during the menopause. We’ve heard from many women in our community about their struggles with stubborn weight gain that simply doesn’t respond to ditching snacks and joining a gym (learn more here).

No wonder it can be frustrating following mainstream weight management advice and seeing little progress, whilst your male partner or pals are steaming ahead. If you’re experiencing this, it isn’t your fault, and there is groundbreaking support out there from the very latest weight management treatment - semaglutide.

What is Semaglutide?

Approved for weight loss support in the UK in 2023, the semaglutide medication Wegovy has been proven to be an effective and safe treatment for weight loss. So, how does it work? This pioneering injectable medication targets the areas of the brain that control appetite and food intake, helping you feel fuller faster and eat less. This can lead to sustainable weight loss without the need for restrictive fad diets or extreme exercise regimes.

Part of a group of clinically proven GLP-1 medications, it’s designed to be injected weekly, with a slow increase in dose strength roughly each month depending on your progress and body’s adjustment to the medication. Wegovy is the brand name for the medication ‘semaglutide’, but there are also other types of GLP-1 medication, such as Mounjaro, which is the brand name for the medication ‘tirzepatide.’ Learn more about the differences here.

How Is Semaglutide Different to Fad Diets?

Despite the sensational headlines you might read, semaglutide medication isn’t a ‘magic bullet’ for easy weight loss. It should form part of a broader lifestyle change, alongside a calorie-controlled diet and increased movement, to help you successfully meet your health goals. Unlike fad diets, which often lead to yo-yo weight loss and gain, semaglutide provides tangible results that can last:

• Clinical studies have shown that people can lose up to 15% of their starting weight when taking Wegovy.**

• Patients report that Wegovy has a positive impact on ‘food noise’, reducing constant cravings for and rumination over food. This can have a knock on effect on binge and emotional eating.***

• Studies show Wegovy patients have a 20% lower risk of death from heart and circulatory disease, heart attack or stroke.****

Additionally, Wegovy has been shown to have numerous health benefits beyond weight loss. It can improve blood sugar control, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

So, if you’re serious about putting your health first in 2025, resist the temptation to cut corners and see swift, but short-lived, results from a fad diet. Take the online consultation for the Weight Management Programme at HANX and find out if Wegovy is suitable for your health journey now.

* Censuswide, Slimming World Report 2024.
** the STEP trial, The New England Journal of Medicine, 2021
*** What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity. 2023.
**** Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity, 2021.

Want more?

• How does pricing and titration work on the Weight Management Programme at HANX? Get all the details and costs here.

• Wondering if you’re eligible for the Weight Management Programme at HANX? Find out if GLP-1 medication is suitable for you - take our consultation.

• Why don't people reveal they're taking weight management medication? Explore the Wegovy and Mounjaro taboo here.