A new analysis estimates that losing as little as 5% weight can lead to substantial savings in health care costs elsewhere.

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are increasingly popular among adults, who have flocked to the new medication as an alternative to the traditional — and often ineffective — advice to “eat less and exercise more.

They’ve been heralded as the magic drugs that treat obesity when diet and exercise have failed. But Ozempic and Wegovy – and their newer cousin, Mounjaro – are expensive, and mostly only available on private prescription.

Prescriptions for weight-loss drugs surged in 2024 and were much more popular in some states, particularly those in the South with higher rates of obesity.

Most patients still need to be managed by oral medications to treat diabetes and not injections, at least in the early stages, says endocrinologist

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are increasingly popular among adults, who have flocked to the new medication as an alternative to the traditional—and often ineffective—advice to "eat less and exercise more.