Research Finds Emotional Eating Impacting Ozempic's Effectiveness in Weight Loss

New research reveals that emotional eating can reduce the effectiveness of Ozempic in promoting weight loss among people with diabetes. Behavioral factors may influence treatment outcomes, highlighting the need for personalized approaches.
Recent research highlights that individuals taking Ozempic (a GLP-1 receptor agonist) for diabetes management may experience varied weight loss outcomes based on their eating behaviors. While Ozempic is effective for many in stabilizing blood sugar and promoting weight reduction, its success isn't universal. A Japanese study monitored 92 people with type 2 diabetes over their first year of medication, revealing that emotional eating—eating driven by feelings rather than hunger—may reduce the long-term benefits of the drug. Conversely, those who ate primarily in response to external cues like food appearance or smell responded more favorably.
The study involved assessing participants' eating patterns at baseline, three months, and one year, alongside tracking their body weight, composition, and blood markers. Results showed that weight, cholesterol, and body fat decreased significantly over the year, but the extent varied depending on eating habits. Notably, restrained eating behaviors temporarily increased at three months but normalized after a year, and emotional eating showed no sustained change. Importantly, individuals with high external eating tendencies at the outset demonstrated the most substantial improvements.
Experts suggest that psychological factors influencing emotional eating might need targeted behavioral interventions to optimize treatment. While these findings, published in Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare, show promising links between eating behavior patterns and drug efficacy, further research is necessary to confirm causality and inform personalized treatment strategies.
This study underscores the importance of understanding patients' food-related behaviors to enhance the effectiveness of diabetes therapies like Ozempic. Incorporating behavioral assessments could be a valuable step toward more individualized and successful treatment plans.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-people-ozempic-emotions-weight-reveals.html
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