Weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro have become a global talking point, with many people seeing dramatic changes on the scale in a relatively short time. These injections belong to a group known as GLP-1 agonists, designed to mimic a hormone involved in appetite and fullness. By dialing down hunger signals, they can make overeating feel less tempting and portion sizes easier to manage. But a large analysis is raising an uncomfortable question about what happens when the shots stop.
Researchers at the University of Oxford reviewed data from 9,341 patients across 37 studies to see what the typical trajectory looks like after treatment ends. During an average treatment period of 39 weeks, patients lost around one fifth of their body weight. The problem is that many didn’t keep that progress once the medication was no longer regulating appetite. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal and reported by Unilad, suggest the impressive results can be surprisingly fragile without a longer-term plan.
Dr. Susan Jebb from Oxford warned that people need to understand the risk of rapid weight regain when treatment finishes. On average, patients regained about 0.8 kilograms per month after stopping, meaning many returned to their starting weight in roughly a year and a half. For comparison, people who ended more traditional diet approaches tended to regain weight far more slowly, around 0.1 kilograms per month. In other words, the rebound after medication can be faster than what’s typically seen with lifestyle-only programs.
The researchers argue this isn’t really a story about the injections failing. Instead, it points to what happens when medication is doing most of the appetite control, while everyday routines around food, movement, and habits stay largely the same. Dr. Sam West from Oxford said these drugs are transforming obesity treatment and can deliver meaningful weight loss, but the quick regain after stopping shows why short-term use can be risky. He also framed obesity as a chronic condition that often relapses, which is why prevention and long-term strategies matter.
Weight change isn’t the only thing that may revert. Earlier studies have linked GLP-1 medications with improvements in cardiovascular markers, but this analysis suggests those gains can fade too. Improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels were seen to drift back toward baseline within about a year and a half after treatment ended. It’s a reminder that for many people, lasting change usually depends on what can be sustained beyond the prescription.
Have you seen friends or family discuss these medications, or do you have thoughts on what long-term support should look like after stopping them? Share your perspective in the comments.
