New medication tackles obesity

I am writing this at the tail-end of February, and what a month it has been. As the world continues to spiral, I'm going to try this month to focus in and talk about a piece of prescribing news that may have got lost in the near-continuous cycle of news.

Recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, a newly proposed injectable medication, semaglutide, has had guidance published on how it can be used in the treatment of the overweight and obese. The medication may already be familiar to those of you working in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but it has now been proposed for this new purpose.

The Health Survey for England 2019 (UK Parliament, 2021) found that 28% of adults in England are obese and a further 36% are overweight; a figure I am sure is considered troubling in healthcare and beyond. Semaglutide, so far, has been noted to only be used in those with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure. The statistics cited from this 2019 survey will no doubt have fluctuated somewhat since then, and as we begin to return to a certain sense of normality post-COVID, we'll be seeing what effect the pandemic has had on people's weight. I'm sure you remember during the first lockdown there was a spike in interest for home workouts and a push for people to make use of their once-a-day outside exercise regimen, but as the lockdowns went on, motivation waned for some, and we are only now being able to give out guidance that can be fully utilised and proactively followed again. As we return to the workplace, many companies encourage a culture of health and wellbeing, offering rewards for those who cycle in, for example. These types of initiatives will all help contribute to helping those who may be struggling with their weight, or just their overall wellbeing.