William Brangham:
About one in eight U.S. adults now say they have taken a GLP-1. But amid all the excitement about their efficacy, some experts also say it’s important to keep in mind some of the drugs’ limits, their costs, and to better understand where they belong in the nation’s long fight against obesity.
For a check-in on where this all stands, we are joined now by Dr. Jody Dushay. She’s an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a clinical endocrinologist who specializes in medical weight management
Dr. Dushay, so nice to have you on the program.
You prescribe these drugs to some of your patients. From your perspective, what do they do? How effective are they, especially at helping people lose weight?
Dr. Jody Dushay, Division of Nutrition, Harvard Medical School: Well first, I want to say thank you very much for having me. It’s a pleasure to be on the show. And, also, I just want to mention that I don’t have any conflicts of interest.
So, in terms of how these medications work and how effective they are, a lot of times, what I will hear is patients using the same words to describe how they work. So people will tell me that they have reduced cravings, that they think about food less. A lot — there’s been use of this term food noise.
So people will tell me that they have a lot less food noise, so they are thinking about food a lot less, whereas, maybe, before, you wake up in the morning and you’re thinking about what you’re going to have for breakfast. While you’re having breakfast, you’re already thinking about what you’re going to eat next after that. And that is really quieting down for people, as well as a easier time with portions, so eating — still eating food that is enjoyable to them, but eating less of it and feeling satisfied.
Those are — those are the main things that I hear from people who take these medications to lose weight — to help with weight loss.
