doi: 10.2337/diab.24.12.1050

Calibrate, which began prescribing anti-obesity medications in 2020 as part of a weight loss program, prominently describes the drugs as a "temporary aid to improve your metabolic health." In Denmark, a venture-backed startup, Embla, says on its website that it offers GLP-1s "always with the clear aim of a healthy transition off medication once you've reached your goals." (Other companies, including the weight-loss giant WeightWatchers and more recent incumbents such as Ro, have begun dabbling in GLP-1 medications, too, though they are clear in their messaging that these drugs are meant to be taken long-term.) A spokeswoman for Noom frames the issue as partly one of customer demand: When asked about the company's marketing of Ozempic as a drug to take for a limited time, she emphasized that most patients don't want to stay on the medications forever, noting that research showing that "68% of people stop taking the GLP-1 by month 12 suggests a reticence to a forever medication by many

Eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding high-fat foods may help manage these symptoms
Among those using medication for weight loss, 15% (about one in seven) were using medication not licensed for this purpose (such as Rybelsus licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes only)