Weight-loss medications, especially GLP-1–based drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide, have transformed obesity treatment. Double-digit percentage weight loss, rapid metabolic improvements, and strong cardiovascular signals have driven unprecedented demand.

But a crucial question has lingered behind the headlines: what happens when people stop taking these drugs?

A major new BMJ systematic review and meta-analysis (January 2026) offers the clearest answer yet, and the findings should reshape how clinicians, policymakers, and patients think about weight-loss medications.

The review pooled data from 37 studies, over 9,300 participants, covering nearly every major weight-management medication used over the past four decades, from older agents like orlistat and sibutramine to modern incretin mimetics.

The headline finding is stark:

GLP-1 medications are reshaping how we treat obesity and type 2 diabetes by targeting appetite regulation, blood glucose control, and cardiometabolic risk.

As use expands rapidly, understanding both their benefits, and what happens beyond the prescription, has never been more important.

Read more about it here: https://www.t2dnetwork.ca/post/glp-1-medications

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What You Can Find There:

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The T2D Network Patient Library is a practical, easy-to-understand collection of resources for people living with type 2 diabetes. It offers guides on key topics like new diagnosis Q&A, blood glucose monitoring, medications, healthy eating, physical activity, stress management, and complications prevention.

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View our library of simple, yet informative, printable resources for people with T2D

The World Health Organization has released its first global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy, including women with pre-existing type 2 diabetes.

The guidance highlights the importance of healthy eating, regular physical activity, and close blood sugar monitoring to reduce risks for both mother and baby. Good glucose control can lower complications during pregnancy and reduce future type 2 diabetes risk after birth.

🔗 Source: World Health Organization (Nov 2025)

https://www.who.int/news/item/14-11-2025-who-launches-global-guidelines-on-diabetes-during-pregnancy-on-world-diabetes-day

New research has uncovered a biological “switch” that turns on inflammation in people with obesity. Chronic inflammation is a major contributor to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

By understanding how this switch works, scientists may be able to develop treatments that target inflammation directly, rather than focusing only on blood sugar control.

Why it matters: This could lead to new therapies that address the root causes of type 2 diabetes.

🔗 Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center (Jan 2026)

https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2026/jan-molecular-switch-inflammation-obesity.html

Researchers have identified a group of substances in the blood (called metabolites) that can help predict who is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, even before blood sugar levels rise.

This could improve early prevention by identifying high-risk individuals sooner and tailoring lifestyle or medical interventions earlier than current methods allow.

Why it matters: Earlier detection means more time to prevent or delay diabetes.

🔗 Source: Nature Medicine via News-Medical (Jan 2026)

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260114/New-metabolomic-signature-predicts-type-2-diabetes-risk-beyond-traditional-factors.aspx

A major new BMJ analysis shows that most people regain weight rapidly after discontinuing weight-loss medications, with benefits to blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure fading within a year. Even more striking: weight regain is faster after stopping drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide than after lifestyle programmes, despite greater initial weight loss.

As prescriptions soar, this evidence reframes obesity as a chronic condition that may require long-term treatment, not short-term fixes. A must-read for clinicians, policymakers, and anyone thinking about what “success” in weight loss really means.

https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj-2025-085304

Prediabetes is often a wake‑up call, but knowing what to do next can feel overwhelming. One of the most comprehensive, user‑friendly guides I’ve come across is Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, Second Edition by Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES.

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