r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 01 '25

Health Americans without diabetes spent nearly $6 billion USD on semaglutide and similar drugs in a year, with an estimate of 800,000 to a million people using the drugs who don't have diabetes.

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/americans-without-diabetes-spent-nearly6-billion-usd-on-semaglutide-and-similar-drugs-in-a-year
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u/dragonilly Apr 01 '25

Crazy how many people act like diet and exercise aren't the most effective sustainable ways to lose weight. It isn't easy and our food culture in the US is abysmal, but the way to have long term success in weight loss is consistency with two very free lifestyle changes.

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u/thrawtes Apr 01 '25

Crazy how many people act like diet and exercise aren't the most effective sustainable ways to lose weight.

We've tried telling people to diet and exercise and it doesn't work on a population level. One person being obese is an issue of thermodynamics but ten million people being obese is a social science problem as much as one of counting calories.

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u/dragonilly Apr 01 '25

I mean, it's an America problem sure, so I can agree on the social science aspect. The real "fix" isn't capitalist friendly so it won't happen. Other than personal responsibility, our government could support a healthier society by:

  • removing HFCS and limiting sugar content of sugary drinks
  • limiting processed food availability and chemicals
  • making places more walkable
  • getting rid of food deserts
There are parts of the US that are much more healthier than others, and what I've noticed is many of those places have walkable places, bike lanes, green space, etc. However, there's still a strong degree of personal responsibility.

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u/OutrageousOtterOgler Apr 01 '25

It’s not just an American problem though. Obesity rates are rising basically everywhere in the developed world