GLP-1 drugs have become increasingly popular as Americans seek help with weight loss and obesity-related health risks, but experts say prescriptions should be paired with lifestyle changes rather than treated as a standalone cure. An Associated Press review of survey data and clinical guidance describes a growing number of people using the medications while also pointing to the role of diet, movement, sleep and stress management in maximizing benefits and reducing side effects.
KFF survey data cited in the report indicates that about 1 in 8 U.S. adults say they are taking a GLP-1 drug. Novo Nordisk also said that just since January, more than 600,000 prescriptions have been written for its Wegovy pill. The report adds that early analysis from Truveta suggests more than a third of users are new to the drugs.
Doctors and researchers interviewed for the report warned that popular messaging can mislead patients about what GLP-1s can and cannot do. Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of FlyteHealth, said: “The biggest mistake people make with GLP-1 medications is thinking the prescription is the treatment.” She added that social media and advertising sometimes create the impression that these medications are a quick fix, while obesity is “a complex, chronic, progressive disease” that requires ongoing medical management.
The report says the purpose of treatment goes beyond the scale. Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrinologist and obesity expert at Harvard Medical School, said: “Health is what you eat, how much you move your body, what is your blood sugar, what is your blood pressure, what is your cholesterol,” adding that all of those measures matter. The GLP-1 drugs, the report explains, work by targeting hormones in the gut and brain that slow digestion and affect appetite and feelings of fullness, with Saunders describing the medication’s appetite effects as helping patients “levels the playing field,” making it easier to adopt habits such as eating less and moving more.
In addition to weight loss, the report describes evidence that combining medication with structured lifestyle programs improves health markers. It says the clinical trials for anti-obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound included structured lifestyle programs along with the medication. It also reports that a February study of more than 98,000 U.S. military veterans found that those who used a GLP-1 and adhered to six to eight healthy habits had a 43% lower risk of serious cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack than those who did not use the drugs and followed three or fewer such habits. Dr. Frank Hu, a lead author and chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said lifestyle habits “can substantially amplify the benefits of modern medications.”
To help patients maximize benefits and limit side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and muscle loss, the report cites specific guidance from Dushay and other experts. It recommends maintaining muscle by eating 20 grams to 30 grams of protein per meal, including foods such as fish, poultry, yogurt and beans, and it advises increasing fiber and drinking more water—up to 8 to 12 cups a day. The report also suggests that if heartburn or nausea is a problem, patients should avoid fried and spicy foods and not lie down after meals.
For physical activity, the report advises aiming for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week, ideally about an hour a day, and adding strength training for about 30 minutes two or three times a week using weights or resistance bands. It also urges getting enough sleep—seven to nine hours a day for a healthy adult—and taking steps to reduce mental and emotional stress. Finally, the report says patients should check in with a health care provider about progress because GLP-1 drugs can have rare but serious side effects; Dushay said: “Someone really does need to keeping track of: What is the pace of your weight loss? What are your side effects? And not just mailing you a prescription every month.”