Post by Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

In a new study exploring stigma associated with the use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, women who lost weight using GLP-1 medications were judged more harshly than those who lost weight through diet and exercise, with negative reactions driven largely by beliefs that medication-assisted weight loss is a “shortcut.” Approximately 18% of U.S. adults are currently using or have previously used a GLP-1 drug. “GLP-1 medications can offer meaningful health benefits for people with obesity, but many patients report feeling shame and guilt for using them,” said social psychologist Stacy Post, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Researchers call for better communication strategies that explain how GLP-1 medications work biologically, emphasize positive health outcomes, and reduce the perception that medication-assisted weight loss is inherently less legitimate than lifestyle approaches. Learn more about this research at https://lnkd.in/ePUF2RVQ #GeorgetownResearch #GLP1