In a time when influencers and their powers of persuasion reign supreme, it stands to reason that they might also shape people’s attitudes toward weight and body image. As such, the dramatic trend of massive weight loss has prompted widespread speculation as to how exactly celebrities are achieving profound body transformations in time frames that seem to defy the narrative of diet and exercise.
Their supposed secret? Ozempic! Ozempic contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which makes it a member of the class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). The semaglutide mimics the hormone known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and works to lower blood sugar, control gastric emptying and promote weight loss.
Although Ozempic was originally marketed as a method of treatment for type 2 diabetes, it has since become a household name because of its assistance in weight loss. Despite the release of other GLP-1 RAs like Wegovy, which has an adjusted dosage to specifically emphasize the weight-shedding potential of semaglutide, Ozempic remains the primary household name for this new class of weight loss-focused pharmaceuticals.
An efficient supplement which works to improve the health of those with a high body mass index does seem like a potential boon. Furthermore, in a time where cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and claims someone’s life every 33 seconds, it seems all the more timely. However, Ozempic’s rise into the public eye is triggering some worrying side effects.
The most significant side effects of Ozempic listed on the pharmaceutical’s side effect page are not limited to stomach paralysis, pancreatitis and gallstones. In fact, its most devastating effects come from its insidious popularization of diet culture.
For those dealing with stubborn fat that negatively impacts their self-image, Ozempic seems like an ideal solution. What could go wrong? A lot, apparently.
Experts interviewed and cited in the health platform Healthline are already warning that the rise of Ozempic into the public eye could potentially increase the prevalence of eating disorders. 28.8 million people in the U.S. are currently estimated to suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. Anorexia nervosa, a prevalent iteration of this particular family of diseases, has the “highest case mortality rate and second-highest crude mortality rate of any mental illness,” according to the non-profit the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. A likely trigger for anyone who has already experienced or is vulnerable to suffering from an eating disorder is any discussion of weight, even if it seems innocuous.
The placing of abnormally thin body types on a pedestal seems akin to the heroin-chic diet culture of the early 2000s.
Celebrities, who already dominate dinnertime conversation in many households, now draw an unprecedented number of eyes to these novel medications. Conversations about weight and weight loss are likely to become more and more commonplace and, as a result, exacerbate the risk of relapse or development of an eating disorder.
Beyond the potential for a mental health crisis, Ozempic is also causing problems because of the effort by many to capitalize on its popularity for weight loss by selling unregulated and potentially extremely dangerous supplements, injections or lifestyles that are meant to mimic the weight loss that incidentally occurs with regular use.
Although it may not be dangerous, a prominent example of this is Kourtney Kardashian’s LEMME GLP-1 Daily Capsules, which notably do not require Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Although they do not contain semaglutide, they are strategically named to evoke associations with Ozempic and draw customers who are unable to access the FDA-approved and demonstrably effective medications that are rigorously tested for safety.
The placing of abnormally thin body types on a pedestal seems akin to the heroin-chic diet culture of the early 2000s. Both phenomena disregard the same truth that influencers, pharmaceutical companies and non-FDA approved supplement companies ignore in pursuit of profits.
Weight is primarily a genetically-determined characteristic. In fact, Harvard Health estimates that in many cases, the genetic influence on weight can be as high as 70% or 80%. In other words, many people will likely be unable to lose all the weight they want to, even if they institute effective and rigorous diet and exercise regimens.
This fact is crucial to remember, especially when the average person cannot access the internet without witnessing some headline focused on the dramatic weight transformation of some public figure. Despite what societal and cultural standards might try and suggest to you, your weight is essentially out of your control, and the propagation of Ozempic only exacerbates the risk of compromising health in pursuit of beauty standards that are pharmaceutically and surgically enhanced to begin with.
