Neozempic Futures

Re-imagined Taste Buds

Patients using GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are showing significant changes in eating habits, affecting the food and drink industry. Medical experts note reduced appetite and a preference for healthier food choices among these individuals.

In October 2023, Walmart looked at the purchasing behaviours of consumers currently taking GLP-1 medication (through its pharmacy division, the company can use anonymised data to track these specific customers). ‘We do see a slight pullback in overall basket,’ John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart US, told Bloomberg. ‘Just less units, slightly less calories.’

A study by Bernstein in 2023 examined the dietary preferences of GLP-1 patients, revealing a shift towards protein-rich, low-carb options and home-made meals. Protein shakes, fruit, eggs, yoghurts and soups emerged as favourites, indicating a move away from empty calories.

Some food companies are thinking of new products designed for this specific group. Nestlé is developing companion products to ensure nutritional balance for weight loss drug users. ‘When you eat less, you have certain needs of vitamins, minerals and supplements,’ said CEO Mark Schneider. ‘You want to be sure that you limit the loss of lean muscle mass.’ Companies like packaged food specialist Conagra are also considering adjustments, anticipating changes in portion sizes and nutrient compositions to align with evolving consumer preferences.

In addition, these medications are reducing cravings for addictive substances like alcohol. A survey by Morgan Stanley’s AlphaWise research unit revealed that individuals on weight loss drugs cut alcohol consumption by a staggering 62%, with 22% abstaining entirely. To remain attractive and cater for Ozempic palates, food and drink brands could double down on premiumisation and charge more for a higher-quality product in a smaller container.

Side-effect Economy

GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic are reshaping industries beyond healthcare, triggering transformations in beauty standards, fashion retail and even airline economics. ‘Fast weight loss, which people taking Ozempic may experience, can lead to changes in the skin of the face, such as sagging or becoming more gaunt,’ London-based Dr Hana Patel, an NHS GP and GP Medico-Legal Expert Witness, tells LS:N Global. ‘This is a common sign for whom Ozempic works, due to the rapid weight loss, and may lead to people then having facial fillers.’

As individuals seek to mitigate what has been dubbed Ozempic face, plastic surgeons report a surge in demand for procedures like facial fat grafting and buccal fat removal. The quest for a more angular appearance, known as a snatched look on social media, replaces the previous trend of youthful fullness, driving interest in defined jawlines and cheekbones.

Consequently, cosmetic treatments like injectable fillers and bio-stimulating injections are gaining in popularity, with some procedures costing more than £800 ($1,000, €935) per syringe.

Bank of America predicts the fashion industry could benefit from Ozempic via countless wardrobe revamps for consumers buying smaller sizes. Sales in the sportswear and athleisure categories could also increase as patients taking the medication tend to lose more weight when combined with exercise and a healthy lifestyle. In the travel industry, investment banking specialist Jefferies estimates that each 10-pound reduction in passenger weight could save up to £65m ($80m, €75m) a year for an American carrier like United Airlines.

Solving Childhood Obesity

Are kids and teens growing up literate in semaglutide? On TikTok, the hashtag #Ozempic has accumulated over 1.4bn views at the time of writing, while on Disney+, Oprah Winfrey’s tv special, Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, features Maggie Ervie, a teenager who started taking semaglutide aged 13. In January 2024, the American Academy of Pediatrics officially recommended weight loss drugs like Wegovy for adolescents, after the Food and Drug Administration approved it for people aged 12 and older. The medication could be one of the solutions to the global concern that is childhood obesity.

According to data from the World Obesity Federation’s Atlas of Childhood Obesity analysed by Statista, 254m children and adolescents aged 5–19 will be obese by 2030. Research also shows that most obese children are unlikely to overcome the condition and will grow into obese adults. The predictions for the US market alone are worrying as, by 2030, several states will have obesity prevalence close to 60%, while the lowest states will be approaching 40% (source: Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, New England Journal of Medicine).

Semaglutide could be more effective in teens than it is in adults. Aaron S Kelly, a co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, told The Atlantic: ‘The degree of weight reduction in adolescents was better than what was observed in the adult trials.’ The medication could reroute the trajectory of an overweight teenager’s entire life. That’s why the pharmaceutical industry is already testing Zepbound and Mounjaro in children aged 6–11.

Fuelling Class Disparities

As weight loss drugs like Ozempic become more popular, they’re exacerbating class divides in eating habits. While the affluent can afford these medications – retailing for about £800 ($1,000, €935) a month without insurance – the working class still struggle with limited access to healthy food options.

Low-income consumers are so constrained by time and resources that they find it challenging to maintain healthy diets. ‘Consumption of indulgent salty snacks that would be considered junk food generally over-indexes towards lower-income individuals, who are unlikely to be these drugs’ primary users,’ RBC analyst Nik Modi said in a research note.

Meanwhile, in New York, Anthony Geich, from haute Indian cuisine Sona restaurant, sees a trend among the wealthy. He told The Cut that customers are opting for salads and minimal alcohol consumption, indicating a broader shift towards extreme fasting. Dazed suggests hosting a lavish banquet or ordering lobster is no longer a sufficient signifier of status as the sign of true wealth has become the ability to forgo food entirely.

The scenario could be worse for children, as those coming from low- and middle-income backgrounds are more exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense and micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost. Ozempic could eradicate obesity among the elite’s offspring while leaving junk food and fat shaming to less privileged kids.

Joy Suppressant

Professor Jens Juul Holst from the University of Copenhagen, a pioneer in the field, cautions against the misconception that these weight loss drugs simply suppress appetite without consequences. He told Wired: ‘If you like food, then that pleasure is gone. The craving for food for some people is taken away when they take GLP-1 drugs.’

‘GLP-1 receptors are widely expressed in the brain, and in addition to its role in neuroprotection, it affects reward pathways,’ explains Dr Hana Patel. Because the brain only has one reward system, ongoing studies are tracking the effect of the weekly injections on addictions. If the medication is able to start a post-hunger age, it also shows promise in reducing cravings for substances like alcohol, nicotine, cocaine and other opioids. Some patients even say they have stopped compulsive shopping, biting nails and picking at skin.

Fashion reporter Lauren Sherman from Puck News forecasts that in the longer term, if she were a fashion executive, she would start worrying about how these drugs often kill desire overall. ‘Not only the desire to eat, but to shop, drink, have sex – anything fun,’ she writes.

Over time, some users could find life devoid of the joy once derived from food, leading to boredom and a longing for their old habits. Patients could even suffer from anhedonia, a lack of interest and enjoyment in life. As professor Holst puts it: ‘Once you’ve been on this for a year or two, life is so miserably boring that you can’t stand it any longer and you have to go back to your old life.’