An expert has highlighted a significant concern regarding the effects of weight loss medications.
Medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro have become increasingly common in today’s society. By November 2025, data from KFF indicated that one in eight Americans were using some form of GLP-1 drug to aid in weight loss.
These medications, including Wegovy, which contains semaglutide, and Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, primarily work by suppressing appetite.
According to Dr. Cecilia Low Wang, a specialist in diabetes and weight loss medications, Mounjaro represents an innovative drug class. She explained via UC Health, “It’s a completely new drug class. Unlike semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy), which is a single-receptor agonist, Mounjaro activates two receptors simultaneously. That’s why it’s called a ‘dual-agonist’.”
While Mounjaro is approved for weight management in the UK, it has not yet received FDA approval in the United States. However, Wegovy has been approved by the FDA.
Both tirzepatide and semaglutide focus on reducing appetite, which can help some individuals achieve weight loss goals. However, Alexandra Brewis, PhD, an anthropologist and professor at Arizona State University, warns of potential negative outcomes.
In an article for Psychology Today, Brewis discussed the issue of appetite suppression potentially leading to disordered eating behaviors.
The Cleveland Clinic defines disordered eating as “problematic eating behaviors that can be harmful to your health.”
Brewis noted, “Users often celebrate losing interest in food and describe relief from constant thoughts about eating, sometimes referred to as the quieting of ‘food noise’. However, many of the same behaviors associated with low appetite and food avoidance would be considered disordered eating in individuals with lower body weight.” She added, “One user insightfully called the drugs ‘doctor-approved anorexia’. This creates a gray zone that complicates eating-disorder risk, prevention, and recovery. This is especially concerning as a barely-researched space in which substantial harms from the drugs are likely to accrue.”
Disordered eating signs, according to the Cleveland Clinic, include binge eating, severe calorie restriction, frequent dieting, and emotional eating.
In response to these concerns, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy and Ozempic, issued a statement emphasizing, “Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Novo Nordisk. We recommend people take these medications for their approved indications only and under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Treatment decisions should be made together with a healthcare provider who can evaluate the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on assessment of a patient’s individual medical profile.”
Eli Lily was also contacted for their input.
If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed and wish to speak with someone, you can reach out to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) through their free hotline at 1(888)-375-7767, available Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm CST.