Independent on Saturday

Celebrity endorsements turn spotlight on weight-loss drugs in obesity crisis

CONTROVERSY

Big names like Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Osbourne, and Sharon Osbourne are attesting to Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro being “weight- loss wonders”, bringing these medications into the limelight on social platforms and in the media in general.

This celeb stamp of approval has fuelled public curiosity, placing these drugs in the spotlight as top picks for losing weight, fuelling discussions across the web and driving up the demand from fans hoping to mirror the success stories of the rich and famous.

Globally, being overweight is a big health problem and it’s severe in South Africa. Here, half of the adults are either overweight or obese, says the Global Obesity Observatory. Out of these, 23% are overweight, and 27% are obese.

This issue isn’t just with adults. Children and teenagers are also greatly affected. Unicef reports that about one in every three girls aged 15

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