Despite ‘risky’ symptoms, drug-based weight loss is growing popularity in India.

• Tirzepatide, a hormone-mimicking drug-based entrant, is gaining popularity in the wellness and longevity market in India.

• The drug, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, was approved by American authorities in 2022 to regulate type 2 diabetes and in 2023 for obesity management.

• The drug is being prescribed and taken despite its price, with common side effects including nausea, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion, and stomach pain.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in 2022, one in eight people lived with obesity, with adult obesity more than doubling since 1990.

• The drug, which is a prescription drug, is used after extensive individual consultation.

• Weight loss through semaglutide and tirzepatide use is done after extensive consultation.

• Both drugs result in increased satiety, forcing users to eat less.

• Eli Lilly and Company stated that the drug is “an innovative option to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes” but warned against self-diagnosis and administration.

• The weight-loss industry began booming in India in the 1990s, around the time of liberalisation and the opening of the economy to international brands.

• Contributing factors to obesity include stress, lifestyle habits, lack of movement, and urban environments not built for health.

• An internal medicine physician, certified nutritionist and weight-loss specialist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in America, notes that a nutrient-rich, fibre- and protein-packed plant-based diet is still an effective and sustainable weight-management technique.