Maintaining weight loss is critical in managing obesity. Discontinuing any treatment targeting weight usually results in regaining it. A lot of people use prescription medication for weight loss. However, says a 2023 study by University of Alberta researchers, published online in the ‘Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome’, as with all medications for chronic disease, people with obesity often discontinue prescribed medical treatments for a variety of reasons. Many patients and weight-management consultants don’t consider it a chronic disease that needs a long-term treatment. They look at medicines as a short-term fix to quickly lose weight and may stop the medicines once the person reaches the target weight. The study recommends that for effective weight loss that is sustained, doctors must prescribe medicines responsibly and with due attention to potential risks and benefits. There also needs to be continued monitoring and a focus on overall health outcomes rather than weight alone.
