Weight and Healthcare

In part one I gave a summary of the drug Tirzepatide. Today we’re going to begin a look into the most recent study of Tirzepatide for weight loss under the brand name Zepbound - the SURMOUNT – 4 trial. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Zepbound (one of the brand names for Tirzepatide) is a newly approved “weight loss medication” (more on that in a moment) delivered by weekly injection. Today we’ll talk about the basics of the drug, and over the next two parts we’ll do a deep dive into the latest research. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Reader Patty asked:”I’m confused, it seems like these new weight loss drugs have some dangerous side effects, but they are FDA approved so doesn’t that mean they are safe?” Thanks for the great question, Patty! Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

On the days when I need some hope and good news, I think about Medical Students for Size Inclusivity . In their own words “We are a community of medical students raising awareness about the harms of weight discrimination in the healthcare system. We believe all people, regardless of their weight, body shape, and size, deserve equitable medical treatment and the right to pursue health". They do inc...

Reader Barabara asked: ”I’ve tried to look into the “science” Awaken 180 claims to rely on, but there’s not much to go on from their website. Similarly, I’ve tried to find out more about the founder, Paige Lopez, but only the basics seem to be available. Awaken 180 has quite a bit of traction in New England, and they have linked up with professional athletes, as well, which has broadened the appea...

Reader Lindsay sent this question in, and it’s one I hear a lot from healthcare practitioners in the Q&As after my talks: If I’m practicing patient-centered care, doesn’t that mean that if a patient’s goal is weight loss then I need to offer them weight management interventions? This is a tricky question, and I’m not going to make a yes/no pronouncement, but here are some things to think about......

Content note: Many of you requested this piece and I think it’s important to talk about, but I also want to let you know that today’s piece might be a tough read. It discusses the lack of care for, and harm done to, higher-weight patients by Bellevue Hospital’s weight loss surgery program. Please take care of yourself. An expose by the New York Times has revealed that New York’s famed Bellevue Hos...

I received the following request from  reader Anisha: I like the in-depth reviews you have of the studies for Wegovy, but I’m talking to a lot of friends and family about this and it would help to have something that’s easier to read. If you are open to writing it you would have my thanks! You got it Anisha! This is a quick guide to Wegovy/Ozempic for weight loss. Get full access to Weight and Hea...

BMI-Based denials of care are about holding healthcare hostage for a weight loss ransom. A ransom that most people won’t be able to pay. Today I’m talking about resources that can be used to fight BMI-based denials for lumbar spinal surgery. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Happy 2024! I am ready for another year of writing about the intersections of weight science, weight stigma, and healthcare and I’m glad you are here reading! This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter ! If you like what you are reading, please consider subscribing and/or sharing! I received the following question from reader Lisa: I notice that when you write about things that can hurt larger p...

This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter ! If you like what you are reading, please consider subscribing and/or sharing! Part one of this was published on December 13 , but this piece was pre-empted when the USPSTF put forth dangerous dieting recommendations for children (remember that the public comment period ends January 16.) In the past I’ve written pieces specifically about issues and mis...

In the past I’ve written pieces specifically about issues and mistakes that are made with terminology that is used…let’s call it differently in weight science as well as common statistics mistakes and mishaps . Today I’m offering an update on terminology as part 1 and in part 2 we’ll talk about the statistics. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

I have written before about the various types of weight stigma that can impact healthcare including implicit weight stigma and bias (wherein people have negative beliefs and stereotypes about fat people and  are acting on them unconsciously) and explicit bias (wherein people are fully aware that they have negative beliefs and stereotypes about fat people and are acting on them). Today we have a do...

This is the second part of a series answering a reader’s question about weight loss industry “big think” strategies within healthcare. In part 1 we discussed how the weight loss industry strategically created a market by turning simply existing on the higher end of the weight spectrum into a so-called “disease diagnosis. “In part 2 we’ll talk about how they are relentlessly working to expand that...

Today I’ll be taking a break from research breakdowns and such to talk about navigating nonsense that happens during the holiday season. Reader Anna asked: It seems like I can’t put a bite of food in my mouth from November to January without somebody saying something - my mom, the people at my work. I’m looking forward to seeing my family but also dreading it. A little help, maybe? I’m so sorry ab...

I have written plenty about the sorry state of weight science – an area of science wherein research that would get a freshman flunked out of their intro to research methods class gets published in peer-reviewed academic journals (some of which are actually owned and operated by the weight loss industry !) Today I’m offering three things that, if they were required of all weight loss studies, would...

I’ve written quite a lot about BMI-based procedure denials for higher-weight patients. These denials typically amount to a patient having their healthcare held hostage for a weight loss ransom that they are very unlikely to be able to pay. I have a collection of resources to fight gender-affirming surgery denials and now I have another study to add to that collection. Get full access to Weight and...

In part 1 we discussed the types and rates of side effects for Wegovy. Today we’re going to discuss the claim that reader Connie’s doctor made that the weight loss drug Wegovy “has been around forever and is safe.” Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

I received the following question from reader Connie: “My doctor is pushing me to take Wegovy. I told him I’m not interested in weight loss medication but the kept pushing so I said that I was worried about the side effects. He said they are ‘nothing to worry about’ and that ‘all drugs have side effects’ and that ‘besides, this drug has been around forever and is safe.’ I didn’t know what to say t...

In part one we talked a bit about who was behind Ob*sityWeek and the money involved. Today we’re going to look at how this plays out. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Ob*sityWeek* (OW) is over, but the onslaught of uncritical media articles promoting its contents has just begun. In Part 1 we’ll discuss what OW is (and who is behind it.) In part 2 we’ll discuss some of this year’s happenings. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was using cooking spray (for non-diet ease of use purposes!) and I had a flashback to a doctor’s appointment before I learned the truth about the failure rate of weight loss. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.substack.com/subscribe

A reader sent me the marketing email for a heart health seminar that perfectly demonstrates many of the issues that we see with weight science, weight stigma, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industry money. I want to acknowledge that the people who put this together may have been well-intentioned, but that doesn’t erase the harm. Get full access to Weight and Healthcare at weightandhealthcare.subst...

This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter ! If you like what you are reading, please consider subscribing and/or sharing! I received this question from reader J’Alice: I recently heard somebody say that ob*sity* is an addiction just like alcohol or gambling, but that sounds wrong to me. Can you explain? Thanks for the question J’Alice! You’re right, it’s wrong. Let’s dig into this a bit: Get fu...

This is the Weight and Healthcare newsletter ! If you appreciate the content here, please consider supporting the newsletter by subscribing and/or sharing! This is another in the series of research breakdowns I completed as part of a project with Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics (WIND) to create a comprehensive response to the horrible AAP guidelines . The study is Association of pediatric...