Leader and HealthIn the past year, treatments such as Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have become household names. But there are many questions left to answer, not least what the future holds for weight-loss medications and society at large 26 March 2025 Ute Grabowsky/imageBROKER/ShutterstockOnly a year ago, as hype was building around the semaglutide drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, conversations revolved around their potential to end obesity by helping people drop large amounts of weight.Then there was talk of how semaglutides appeal for weight loss was causing shortages for people who needed it to treat their diabetes, as well as which celebrities might have been getting their hands on it. Despite the buzz, these treatments were still somewhat exotic.Today, there is no longer talk of shortages. In fact, it is easier than ever to obtain these medications from online pharmacies, provided you have the funds and the right BMI. At lightning speed, the jabs have become household names. You or someone you know may well be taking one.AdvertisementSome data indicates that as many as 1 in 8 people in the US have tried one of the new generation of weight-loss drugs; in Britain, around 1 in 7 people have taken one or have a family member or friend who has done so. It is fair to say we are living in the era of Ozempic, and it is changing much more than our collective waistlines.Many people are experimenting with smaller doses of weight-loss drugs, but is this a good idea?In this special report, we take a clear-eyed look at the new normal and the questions it raises. What do these treatments mean for traditional approaches to weight loss, in particular exercise (see Why exercise is more important than ever when taking weight-loss drugs), and will those on the drugs really need to keep taking them for life (see GLP-1 drugs are only the start the powerful drugs to expect next)? Over the past year, we have seen study after study examine their benefits for other conditions, including Alzheimers disease, depression and addiction. So how do they influence the brain beyond appetite regulation (see What do GLP-1 drugs really tell us about the brains reward system?)?Many people are experimenting with taking them in smaller doses, but is this a good idea (see Microdosing GLP-1 drugs is on the rise but does it work?)? And we also ask what all of this means for society as a whole (see The unexpected impacts of a society transformed by weight-loss drugs) and what comes next (see GLP-1 drugs are only the start the powerful drugs to expect next).Whats clear is that the new boom in weight-loss drugs is just the beginning. In another years time, things are likely to look very different once again.Topics: