Many have said that drugs such as Ozempic may “cure obesity” by reducing cravings and shrinking millions of waistlines globally. We don’t simply say this is false beyond the hype – it can be dangerous too. Diet cultures focus on weight rather than health which makes thinness pursuit more important than other aspects of bodily or cultural wellbeing.
What’s behind the Ozempic buzz isn’t just connected to health or medicine but places itself within fat stigma and phobia of fatness. This in turn helps to perpetuate both fear of fatness and fat people, including behaviors that harm individuals living in bigger bodies. Weight-loss drugs will save the world – we’ve heard it before.
The Ozempic family, which includes GLP-1-mimics, is only one among many previous attempts at weight loss medications; each one seemed promising then and yet none actually lived up to their potential over time. Some have even been withdrawn from sale due to severe side effects. Though science does evolve gradually, diet culture also keeps us in a cycle of hope for the next panacea.
READ MORE: Re-discover Yourself, Embark On A Relaxing Journey Of Self Care
ALSO READ: Summer Spices Guide: Spices To Beat the Heat And Spices To Avoid For Digestive Health
So maybe drugs like Ozempic won’t provide the results people anticipate, continuing the cycle of hope and shame. When we discuss findings from studies conducted with Ozempic, we often only pay attention to average (or mean) results or maximum (or peak) outcomes. The excitement surrounding Ozempic goes beyond health and medicine and delves into fat stigma and phobia. This can perpetuate negative attitudes towards fat individuals and contribute to harmful behaviors towards those in larger bodies.
Weight loss drugs have been hyped up before, with Ozempic being the newest addition to a long line of promising yet ultimately disappointing solutions. Some weight loss drugs have even been taken off the market due to severe side effects. While science continues to progress incrementally, the idea of a miracle weight loss cure remains elusive.
