How Ozempic is affecting people with eating disorders and the food industry

GLP-1 drugs, sold under brand names including Ozempic and Wegovy, are growing more popular for weight loss. At the same time, experts say the drugs are dramatically altering people's relationship with food and the food and beverage industry itself.

The University of Cincinnati's Susan McElroy, MD, told WVXU's Cincinnati Edition that a trial she led found that liraglutide, a drug in the GLP-1 class, was efficacious for weight loss for individuals with bipolar disorder and statistically reduced binge eating behavior based on self-reported data.

However, McElroy said that in general, it is difficult to conduct research focusing on GLP-1's effect on mental health and eating disorders. 

"I’m just really sad that the GLP-1 companies haven’t taken eating disorders seriously," said McElroy, the Linda and Harry Fath endowed professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience in UC’s College of Medicine, chief research officer at the Lindner Center of HOPE and a UC Health physician.

Anecdotally, McElroy said some patients have reported GLP-1s triggering anorexia, while others say the drugs have been the only solution to address binge eating disorder. The wide range of outcomes highlights the need for more thorough research, she said.

"The industry has basically ignored eating disorders," she said. "I guess they assume that by getting at obesity they’re going to get most of the people with eating disorders, but that’s just not the truth."

Listen to the Cincinnati Edition segment.

Featured photo at top of a semaglutide injection pen. Photo/aprott/iStock.