A new study suggests that weight-loss drugs could halve sickness absence and significantly reduce the strain on the National Health Service (NHS). The research, conducted in the UK, examined patients who received GLP-1 injections for nine months and found that sickness days decreased by nearly half, while absences lasting five days or more dropped by more than 50%.
Study Details and Findings
The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, evaluated 1,270 NHS patients enrolled in Oviva's tier 3 weight management programme. All participants were prescribed GLP-1 injections for weight loss and had at least three weight-related illnesses, most commonly anxiety, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. The majority received semaglutide, either as Wegovy for weight loss or Ozempic for diabetes management.
After nine months, patients lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight, and their average body mass index (BMI) fell from 45 to 39. Sick days among those who took the jabs decreased by 45%, while long-term sick leave, defined as absences of five days or more, was reduced by 56%. Additionally, patients required fewer GP visits: face-to-face appointments dropped by an average of 43%, and remote consultations fell by 48%. More than 60% of patients reported no contact with their GP at all during the study period.
Potential Impact on NHS Resources
A separate study of 738 patients prescribed the jabs found that A&E visits among the group fell by one quarter. With approximately 30% of adults in England classified as obese, experts suggest that expanding the programme to the 3.4 million people currently eligible for weight-loss jabs on the NHS could free up nearly 10 million GP appointments annually. This would save the health service about £364 million per year, equivalent to almost 3% of the GP core budget.
Martin Fidock, UK managing director of Oviva, a provider of digital healthcare services, commented: "Britain is in the grip of a productivity crisis, and obesity is one of the biggest drivers. Our data shows that when people get the right treatment – jabs combined with proper clinical support – they don't just lose weight. They get back to work, stop relying on their GP, and start living again."
Dr Charlotte Refsum, director of policy at the Tony Blair Institute, described the findings as "striking." She added: "Broader access to anti-obesity medications could deliver significant gains for the economy alongside major savings for the NHS. This study brings that to life in the real world – showing not just substantial weight loss, but fewer GP visits and more people staying in work."
Additional Benefits: Asthma and Migraines
Two separate Danish studies, also presented at the conference, indicated that the drugs have a beneficial impact on asthma and migraines. Researchers found that patients with asthma and overweight, obesity, or type 2 diabetes who took semaglutide or liraglutide experienced a 26% reduction in asthma exacerbations, including hospitalisations, compared with the year before. There was also a 14% reduction in the use of asthma inhalers and a 23% decrease in daily inhaled corticosteroid exposure. Pneumonia events were reduced by 10%. These effects were observed within a month of starting GLP-1 treatment, before significant weight loss occurred.
The second study found that 18- to 35-year-olds receiving Wegovy for weight management had an 18% reduction in the use of acute migraine triptan medication. Further studies are needed to establish the dose effect and determine if similar findings can be replicated with other GLP-1 drugs.
