While it was once considered taboo to publicly acknowledge the use of medication to shed stubborn pounds, times are changing and diet culture is evolving, say Brock University experts.

They agree some drugs, such as Ozempic, may be effective interventions for obesity and metabolic disorders. Where the concern lies, Brock researchers say, is the use of these drugs as tools for weight loss, and the associated long-term physical and psychological effects that may come along as a result.

This hasn’t stopped personal wellness brands that originally focused on nutrition — including WeightWatchers, which recently filed for bankruptcy — from now offering their members access to the drugs that have turned the industry on its head.

This shift is reflective of society’s evolving views on weight loss, says Professor of Kinesiology Kimberley Gammage, who researches positive body image and physical activity across diverse populations.

A change in the way people think about weight loss has long been — and continues to be — needed, she says.

“I do believe the ‘eat less, move more’ philosophy of weight loss is dated, since we know much more now around how genetics and biology play a very large role in weight,” she says.

However, long-term consequences are unknown for people taking drugs merely to improve their appearance, Gammage says, since most of these medications are not approved for weight loss only.

“Drugs should never be the first step to weight loss, which needs a long-lasting strategy instead of rapid, Band-Aid solutions,” says Professor of Kinesiology and exercise physiologist Nota Klentrou, who studies how exercise and diet affect bone development and lifelong bone health.

Core to this long-term strategy involves exercising and eating nutritious foods, life-long habits that should start in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, she says.

When it comes to weight-loss drugs, Klentrou says more research is needed across the lifespan to determine age-appropriate dosage and long-term effects before their use is expanded.

“There are important gaps in our understanding of how strategies involving diet and exercise may be used to support medically supervised management of obesity and metabolic disorders,” says Assistant Professor of Kinesiology William Gittings, who studies musculoskeletal physiology.

Weight-loss drugs aim to affect the body’s energy balance by increasing energy expenditure while simultaneously inducing appetite-suppressing effects. But there could be serious health impacts down the road if people taking the drugs don’t consume adequate essential nutrients in their diet and aren’t physically active enough to stimulate muscle and bone growth, he says.

“A short-term medical intervention to target weight loss should not come at the cost of critical bone and muscle tissues, as this may translate into greater risk of sarcopenia, osteoporosis and frailty in late adulthood,” he says.

Yet this short-term strategy is highly appealing to vulnerable youth, particularly those who have the personality trait of perfectionism, says Associate Professor of Child and Youth Studies Danielle Sirianni Molnar, Canada Research Chair in Adjustment and Well-Being in Children and Youth.

Perfectionists rely heavily on others’ evaluations to determine their self-worth, making them exceptionally sensitive to criticism or perceived judgment, she says, adding that research consistently links perfectionism to disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and rigid control over food and appearance.

“The medication’s promise of rapid, visible results can feel like a controlled, ‘flawless’ solution, a direct route to meeting the excessively high demands for success and approval that perfectionists impose on themselves,” she says.