UK obesity rates may start falling this year thanks to weight loss jabs

Obesity levels in the UK may have peaked and could start dropping ‘significantly’ in 2025 due to weight loss jabs, according to one of the biggest online sellers of the medication.

The projected decline comes from data collected by Simple Online Pharmacy, which has access to wholesale figures and has supplied either Mounjaro or Wegovy to 200,000 people, who have collectively lost 600 tonnes of their weight.

The company says the 500,000 people in the UK currently taking weight loss drugs can expect to lose 15% to 20% of their weight over a matter of months. Rebecca Moore, the company's chief operating officer, told Sky News: "Our projections are that around a million people will reverse their obesity in a year.

"We should be at the point now, we believe, where we're starting to see rates decline. We would not be surprised if by the end of this year we've seen a really significant decline in obesity."

However, experts note that the data may not give us a full picture of how glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists like Mounjaro are impacting obesity levels in the UK.

"It is important to note that the data described (of 500,000 people) is a minority of the total number of those living with obesity in the UK,” explains Dr Martin Whyte, Associate Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Surrey.

“Public health initiatives focused on prevention and lifestyle changes are essential for improving the overall health of the population.

“GLP-1 receptor agonists are an important treatment option for obesity and can provide effective support for individuals struggling with weight management.”

Dr Whyte warns that latest figured showed 28-29% of adults in England are obese, up from 15% in 1993.

Demand for medication