Weight Returns Within Two Years After Stopping Weight-Loss Jabs, Major Study Finds

People who stop taking weight-loss injections regain all the weight they lost in under two years, according to a major new analysis. The study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford and published in the BMJ, reviewed 37 studies involving more than 9,300 participants using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. On average, patients regained weight at a rate of 0.4kg per month after stopping treatment, returning to their original weight within about 1.7 years. Weight regain occurred almost four times faster than in behavioural weight-loss programmes such as diet and exercise plans. Researchers also found that improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol reversed within roughly 1.4 years. Experts stress this does not reflect failure of the drugs, but rather obesity’s chronic nature, and warn against short-term use without long-term support. The findings underline the need for sustained lifestyle changes and wraparound care alongside prescriptions offered by the NHS. Charities including Diabetes UK say the drugs can be effective, but are not a quick fix without broader prevention and support strategies.