A Simple Guide To Understand Weight Loss Medication

Obesity and weight problems are rising in the EU, with 52.7% of adults being overweight in 2019. The anti obesity medicine market in Europe is growing rapidly. Valued at $2.5 billion in 2023, this market is expected to grow at a rate of 10.7% annually, reaching about $6.3 billion by 2032.
In some European countries, the prescription rate for weight loss drugs has increased by over 30% in the last decade. This trend shows that more people are becoming obese and are increasingly open to using medicine to help manage their weight.
The company behind popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic saw record sales in 2023, boosting its market value to $508 billion.

In Germany, 46.6% of women and 60.5% of men are overweight, with 19% of adults classified as obese. Despite 23% of consumers showing interest in prescription weight control medicines, these medicines remain largely inaccessible. This gap presents opportunities for supplement brands to offer alternatives that mimic the effects of weight loss drugs.

Approximately 26.6% of Canadian adults, or about 1 in 4, are living with obesity. Additionally, around one million Canadians are currently using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic for managing weight loss and Type 2 diabetes.
According to a survey from Dalhousie University, 57.2% use it for diabetes, 27.2% for weight loss, and 11.6% for both. It’s estimated that 300,000 to 400,000 Canadians take GLP-1 for weight loss, and this number is expected to grow as much as what we would see in the United States.

In England, over one in four adults (26%) is affected by obesity. The UK utilises Orlistat, Mounjaro, Saxenda, and the newly approved Wegovy as weight loss drugs. Ozempic is officially approved for treating type 2 diabetes, but more people are using it off-label for weight loss as well.
Currently, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has recommended Wegovy for adults with weight-related health condition. However, due to limited supply and the initial rollout, only around 35,000 people are projected to have access to this medication in the near term​ (Health Media).
Overall, while the exact number of people currently taking weight loss drugs in the UK isn’t specified, the government’s significant investment and the expected increase in availability suggest that usage will likely rise in the coming years​ (Med Xpress).

Forbes ranks Austria as the 52nd fattest country in the world, with 57.1% of the population being overweight or obese. This means that more than half of the adults in Austria have weight issues, creating a major health concern. Out of this group, around 900,000 people are obese, which is about 10% of the entire population.
This high obesity rate is increasing the demand for weight loss treatments, including medication. Popular weight loss drugs in Austria include Orlistat, Liraglutide (Saxenda), and the newly approved Wegovy. Although there is growing popularity of weight loss drugs, it’s important to keep an eye on healthcare policies and market changes to understand how weight loss drug use will change in Austria in the future.

In Denmark, the usage of weight loss drugs, particularly semaglutide (Ozempic®), has shown a significant upward trend in recent years. Initially, the rate of new users remained stable, with approximately 4 per 1,000 adult person-years between 2019 and 2021. However, this rate accelerated sharply, peaking at 10 per 1,000 in the first quarter of 2023 before experiencing a notable decline. By 2023, the total number of semaglutide users in Denmark had increased to 91,626.
Interestingly, the proportion of new semaglutide users with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) changed significantly over time. In 2018, almost all new users (99%) had T2D, but by 2022, this dropped to 67%. It shows the drug was being used more for weight management rather than just for diabetes. However, in 2023, the percentage of T2D patients among new users increased again to 87%, showing that the drug is still mainly used for diabetes treatment. This trend shows how the use of weight loss drugs in Denmark has evolved.

In Switzerland, the need for weight loss drugs is rising as obesity rates increase. Although Switzerland has lower obesity rates than many other European countries, people are becoming more aware of the health risks of being overweight.
Doctors in Switzerland are increasingly prescribing new weight loss drugs like Wegovy, which are popular for their effectiveness. The Swiss market for weight loss drugs is shaped by strict regulations and high standards. It ensures that only safe and effective treatments are available.

In New Zealand, about 34.3% of adults are considered obese. This is up from 31.2% in 2019/20. Liraglutide, phentermine, orlistat, and naltrexone + bupropion are drugs permitted to use for weight management in New Zealand.
Recent studies show a significant rise in the number of people asking about weight loss medications at Medical Weight Loss Clinics. This demand has surged by 10 to 20 times compared to a few years ago.

In Australia, about 31% of adults are obese. The country has four approved medications for managing obesity: phentermine (Duromine), orlistat (Xenical), and liraglutide (Saxenda), a GLP-1 agonist that regulates appetite and fullness. A fourth GLP-1 agonist, semaglutide (Wegovy) has been approved for weight loss but isn’t yet available in Australia. These drugs, approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), play a key role in the country’s obesity management efforts.However, their accessibility can be limited by cost and availability.

In 2023, 16% of adults aged 20 and older in the Netherlands were classified as obese. Additionally, about 1.1 million people in the Netherlands had diabetes in 2021, with more than 90% having type 2 diabetes. This high rate of diabetes is linked to obesity and has led to greater interest in weight loss treatments.
The use of Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, grew nine-fold over five years, reaching more than 100,000 users last year. Liraglutide, found in Saxenda, saw a three-fold increase to nearly 40,000 users.

In Spain, 22.9% of people are obese, and 39.4% are overweight. Despite these high numbers, only 32% of doctors think there are good prescription weight loss options, and 37% feel unsure about prescribing them because they lack knowledge.
The weight management market in Spain was worth USD 145.57 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow by 9.5% each year, reaching USD 300.87 billion by 2030.

In South America and Latin America, obesity is a growing issue, leading to higher demand for weight loss drugs. Although obesity rates are high, many people still have limited access to these medications due to economic and regulatory reasons.
The weight management market is expanding as awareness of obesity’s health effects increases. However, access to weight loss drugs is uneven, and many doctors hesitate to prescribe them. To improve this situation, there needs to be more education and better access to effective treatments.

In Portugal, 23.5% of adult women and 23.2% of adult men are living with obesity. These rates are lower than the regional averages, which are 25.3% for women and 24.9% for men. Despite having lower obesity rates compared to the regional average, there is a growing interest in weight loss drugs in Portugal.

About 27% of adults in Brazil are obese, which is higher than the average for the region. This high rate of obesity is increasing the demand for weight loss treatments.

In 2022, the market for weight loss drugs in Brazil was worth $1.54 billion and is expected to grow to $2.67 billion by 2030. This growth reflects the rising obesity rates and greater awareness of weight loss options. As more people look for effective treatments, the market is set to keep expanding.

In Pakistan, where 25% of the population is classified as obese, access to modern weight-loss medications is limited. This scarcity drives patients to seek anecdotal treatments and remedies, which may lack scientific backing. While some weight-loss drugs like Orlistat, Lorcaserin, and Liraglutide are available, many of the more recent and effective medications are not.