WeightControl.com Interview with:
John Wilding DM FRCP
Professor of Medicine & Honorary Consultant Physician
Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine
Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences
Clinical Sciences Centre
Aintree University Hospital
Liverpool, United Kingdom
A large real-world analysis of electronic health records and health claims data in the United States examines what happens to patients prescribed GLP-1 based treatments — and what the consequences are when they stop.
WeightControl.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We were interested to find out from real world data what effects GLP-1 based treatments would have on important clinical outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, sleep apnoea, heart failure and osteoarthritis. This was investigated using a large electronic health care record and health claims database in the United States, that allowed us to explore links between GLP-1 prescriptions (both for obesity and diabetes) and these subsequent health outcomes over the course of 1 year from initial prescription.
WeightControl.com: What are the consequences of stopping the GLP-1 medications?
Response: In this study, about half the patients discontinued therapy during the first year (we don’t know the exact reasons for this; supply problems may have contributed). People who stopped medication tended to lose less weight and were more likely to have one or more of the adverse health outcomes described above; those people who experienced an increase in BMI were more likely to develop heart failure and sleep apnoea. In contrast, those who had a reduction in BMI were less likely to develop chronic kidney disease, sleep apnoea and osteoarthritis, with the greatest benefits seen in those who reduced BMI by 15% or more.
WeightControl.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: We should consider obesity as a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. Those people that stay on treatment are more likely to maintain clinically important weight loss and see improvements in their health.
WeightControl.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?
Response: We do need to see data with longer-term follow up and focus more on those patients treated with the newer, more effective medicines at doses approved for obesity (this study also included people treated with lower doses of GLP-1 analogues for diabetes).
WeightControl.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?
This study was funded by Amgen, Inc.
Disclosures: John Wilding reports consultancy/advisory roles (via University of Liverpool; no personal payment, past 36 months) for: Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cytoki, Kailera, Eli Lilly, Menarini, Metsera, Napp, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Prosciento, Response Pharmaceuticals, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Saniona, Shionogi, Ysopia. Clinical trial funding from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk. Honoraria/lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Medscape, Novo Nordisk, Menarini. Past President, World Obesity Federation; member of ASO, Diabetes UK, EASD, ADA, Society for Endocrinology, Rank Prize Funds Nutrition Committee; NIHR CRN Metabolic & Endocrine Specialty Group National Lead (2009–2024).
Laura Anderson: Amgen employee; stock ownership in Amgen, Pfizer, Moderna. Raleigh Malik: Amgen employee; stock ownership in Amgen. Brandon Bellows: No conflicts. Tyler Sagendorf: No conflicts. Paul Dluzniewski: Amgen employee; stock ownership in Amgen, UnitedHealth Group. Jeanine Cordova: Amgen employee; stock ownership in Amgen. Paul Muntner: Perisphere RWE (equity); Amgen, Merck (consulting, research funding); Novartis (consulting); Form Health (research funding); Skylabs (advisory board).
Citation: ECO 2026
First-year BMI change after GLP-1-based treatment initiation and risk of subsequent adverse clinical outcomes.
John Wilding, Laura J. Anderson, Raleigh Malik , Brandon Bellows,
Tyler Sagendorf, Paul Dluzniewski, Jeanine Cordova, Paul Muntner4
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Last Updated on May 10, 2026 by weightcontrol