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This article is part 2 in a 2-part series. Part 1 focused on changes in how obesity is assessed, along with its causes and complications.��

With more and more weight-loss drugs entering the marketplace in recent years, the obesity epidemic has been taking a turn for the better. However, the headlines proclaiming an end to obesity as we know it are exaggerated, says Dr. Erica Phillips, an internist and obesity medicine specialist at 91�鶹��Ʒ Internal Medicine Associates.�� �����’s also a professor of clinical medicine and the Jack Fishman Professor of Cancer Prevention at 91�鶹��Ʒ.����

“Even the most effective medications are treatments, not prevention,” she says. “Obesity is a condition that already exists, and weight-loss drugs may produce a desirable result. But prevention and treatment are not the same thing.”��

Dr. Phillips goes on to explain that every treatment has a “bell curve”—a statistical model of probability. At each end are the two extremes. In the case of weight-loss drugs, patients at the left-most end of the spectrum experience no response, while those at the right-most end are extremely responsive to the medications. In fact, they may lose too much weight, and their treatment will need to be adjusted accordingly. But most patients fall somewhere between the extremes, and many do quite well, especially with the newer drugs on the market.��

What is causing the obesity epidemic?��

It ������’t about self-control. It ������’t about poor choices. Some people have lived with excess weight since childhood. Some women gain weight during pregnancy and find it extremely difficult to lose afterwards. But one of the main drivers of the obesity epidemic is our food system, Dr. Phillips says.��

Full of additives like high-fructose corn syrup, ultra-processed “big food” is a direct cause of obesity. Like the tobacco industry, big food targets low-income communities of color—especially in New York City and the New York Metropolitan area. “Our genes haven’t changed,” she says, “but our food system has. ����’s the critical piece of the obesity story that has yet to be addressed.”��

In the meantime, anti-obesity medications have an important role to play, so �����’s review �ɳ󲹳�’s on offer.��

A quick history of weight-loss medications������

The list of FDA-approved weight-loss medications is fairly long—and it will likely get longer in the near future, with several anti-obesity drug candidates in the pipeline. ������’s where that list stands as of today:��

Phentermine��

What are the side effects of the newer weight-loss drugs?��

The new drugs act directly on the digestive system by slowing gastric emptying. That means food sits in your stomach longer before traveling to the intestines. As a result, people feel fuller sooner and stay full longer. Unfortunately, �ٳ󲹳�’s also where their side effects come in.����

Because food is sitting in the stomach longer than usual, it can cause:��

Still, the majority of people tolerate the medications well, says Dr. Aras. “����’s also important to reduce portions and eat slowly to mitigate their side effects.”��

Does insurance cover weight-loss medications?

Coverage for weight-loss medications varies by insurance plan. Many insurance providers don’t cover medications used strictly for weight loss, according to the Obesity Medicine Association. But if you have type 2 diabetes, your insurance may cover medications like Ozempic or Mounjaro for the treatment of that condition. Weight loss can be a welcome “side effect” of these drugs.����