Season 3: (Episode 1) Medical Interventions to Treat Obesity: How They Work

The desire to lose weight is pervasive in our society.  Some people want to lose a few pounds to look better while for many others weight loss can help to reduce serious threats to their health and well-being.  Historically, dieting as a means of losing excess pounds, and keeping lost weight off, has produced disappointing results for many people. However, there are surgical and, more recently, pharmacological interventions that can produce significant and sustained weight loss. But are such treatment safe as well as effective?  And how do they work? On this episode, Dr. Randy Seeley of the University of Michigan School of Medicine addresses questions about the effectiveness and safety of both bariatric surgery and the new GLP-1 agonist drugs  (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, Mountjaro) in producing and sustaining weight loss.