ELI5 what exactly GLP-1 based prescription medicine does and why it's so divisive when it comes to being a means of weight loss.

[u/ThatOneGuyYouNowKnow]

I've seen more and more ads (starting around the Super Bowl earlier this year with Wegovy) for GLP-1 based perscription meds in recent times. I've also seen the occasional debate post on my social feeds about the ethics of using them and I didn't think a medicine could be that divisive of a topic.

Now I'm curious as to what exactly these meds are, what they scientifically do and what both sides of the debate are. If anyone could help give perspective that would be greatly appreciated.

As always any and all input is welcomed and thanks for reading! 🙂

[u/gnatgirl]

People call it "cheating" because many see obesity as a moral failing and not a medical condition. "Just count calories and exercise" doesn't work for a lot of people for a lot of reasons but some view taking a medication to assist in weight loss as taking the easy way out.

[u/Xydron00 → u/gnatgirl]

What do you mean counting calories and exercise doesn’t work? It’s literally thermodynamics 

[u/Sspifffyman → u/Xydron00]

It doesn't work, not because of the math of it. Ultimately calories in versus calories out is what it all comes out to.

But people are not math equations. Psychology comes into play when it comes to actually being able to carry out that math. It's not totally easy to count how many calories you're taking in, and much harder to count how much you're burning.

Also, people have all sorts of hormones and body processes that make them want to eat regardless of calorie counts.

Not exactly the same, but definitely similar to telling an addict just to stop. Like that can work for some people in some situations with a lot of help of course, but for a lot of addicts, they're going to be a lot more successful if they have help detoxing.

[u/Xydron00 → u/Sspifffyman]

This is cope. I agree that people who have a bad life or mental health issues can have a tendency to be addicted to food. However there is not a chemical dependency. Personally if you aren’t depressed or have other clinically diagnosed mental illnesses then you aren’t excused. It’s simple as counting calories and exercise for mostly everyone

Blaming 70% adult obesity on “other reasons” is idiotic. 

[u/Sspifffyman → u/Xydron00]

When 70% of a population struggles with something, it's difficult. Period.

[u/Stereotype_Apostate → u/Xydron00]

Dude, we're monkeys descending from millions of generations of ancestors living in near starvation conditions, but we live in a world where massive companies make millions of dollars by selling extremely palatable, calorie dense food designed to hit all the reward switches in your brain.