Vox pop: Should obese people be offered Ozempic to lose weight?

Plans to introduce weight-loss injections for people with obesity have drawn a cautious response from members of the public questioned by Times of Malta, with many saying they believe healthy eating and exercise should be prioritised over medical solutions.

Earlier this week, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said the government plans to roll out weight-loss injections for patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 35 and who also suffer from conditions associated with obesity.

These prescription medications, which include semaglutides such as Wegovy and Ozempic, work by reducing appetite and supporting weight management. Originally developed to treat diabetes, they have become increasingly popular for their effectiveness in helping people eat less and lose weight.

But questioned in a vox pop on Thursday in Valletta, most citizens expressed reservations about the policy. All but two said that, while the injections may help some people, they believe a healthier lifestyle should be the first step.

One person who knows first-hand the challenge of losing weight is 35-year-old Malcolm Pisani from Birkirkara. “Years ago when I was 16, I used to be obese and I went on a diet as you are supposed to,” he said. “I honestly don’t agree with these sorts of things but everyone has their own story.”

He explained that, for him, a proper diet and regular exercise are the ideal methods. While he admitted to knowing people who use injections like Ozempic and seeing them get results, he remains personally opposed. “I have heard of them and I have friends who take them and admittedly they see results, but I am against it personally.”

Pisani’s views were echoed by others. “It is an alternative but I think there are better alternatives,” said 49-year-old Johann Baldacchino Romano from Msida.

He said that exercise and diet should come first but acknowledged that the final choice belongs to the individual. “It is the person’s choice on what to do with their body.” He too said he knows people who are using the medication.

Pauline and Liliana, both 67 and from Mosta, raised concerns about potential abuse of the injections. Liliana said: “Great, so we are telling people go ahead and feel free to eat chips because you can just take an injection and the government will pay for it.”

Pauline worried about how much is truly known about the medications. “I’m concerned that not enough is known about the drugs and that they can also be abused.”

Another sceptic was 64-year-old Ray Abdilla from Mosta, who questioned the long-term safety of the medications. “The problem or the question mark is, how safe are these? What are the side effects? I would be scared to try them but if the doctor tells you it’s safe, I don’t know,” he said. He added that diet and exercise were, in his view, the safer route.

However, 17-year-old Yasmin from Siġġiewi was more open-minded. She acknowledged that some people struggle to lose weight due to medical conditions. “I think the weight-loss drugs the government will be providing for a handful of people could be helpful,” she said. “For the girls who think they need to be a certain weight to be thinner, that’s not the point – it’s for when your weight affects you health-wise. When you can’t walk or function normally.”

In 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, 28.1 per cent of Malta’s adult population were classified as obese.

Across Europe, interest in weight-loss injections is growing. According to the BBC, such treatments may soon be offered in Northern Ireland, while The Guardian has reported that UK obesity experts have urged the NHS to accelerate access to these medications.