Why ‘Ozempic® shaming’ needs to stop
Ozempic® is a fairly new medication, being approved for use in 2017 for the treatment of diabetes and has also shown significant results when prescribed off-label for obese individuals who want to lose weight. The active ingredient in Ozempic®; Semaglutide, works by inducing satiety (the feeling of being full).
Unfortunately, those individuals who are prescribed Ozempic® have been on the receiving end of stigma; with reports of ‘fat shaming’ being on the increase. Why people would be shamed for trying to improve their health is beyond our comprehension and these individuals should be embraced for making positive health moves!
QuickDoc is a trusted healthcare company who has the ability to prescribe Ozempic® for its clients, providing the medical criteria is met. As a company committed to improving healthcare, we wanted to list the evidence-based reasons why being obese is not only detrimental to an individual’s health; but also detrimental to the Canadian economy. A recent study showed that in 2021, the fiscal (financial) burden of obesity in Canada was estimated at nearly 23 million Canadian Dollars.
Obesity is a healthcare concern around the world and the consequences of being obese are classed as the fifth foremost global reason for death.
Being obese contributes to numerous chronic diseases; including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity-specific cancers (such as colorectal, post-menopausal breast, uterine, oesophageal, kidney and pancreatic). Obesity is classed as a lifestyle disease with the World Health Organisation predicting that a whopping 30% of world deaths will be identified with lifestyle diseases by 2030. Therefore, it is so very important to identify and address risk factors for obesity and provide treatment accordingly, through medication and holistic behaviour and lifestyle changes.Ozempic® has reached such popularity due to its high success rates in various clinical trials, with reports of 87% of users having a loss of at least 5% of body weight after only 3 months, versus only 31.5% in a placebo group. Put simply, you have almost a 9/10 chance to lose 5% of your body weight in 3 months whilst taking Ozempic® versus a 3/10 chance without it.
At QuickDoc we want to assure our clients that although Ozempic® has a proven track record for its ability to influence weight loss, it should not be prescribed without a robust clinical prescribing system to ensure safety and ethicality of its use. As with any medication, taking Ozempic® is not without side effects and the client should have the ability to make an informed choice. As well as medication options; the long-term success of weight loss also requires specific behavioural strategies such as frequent self-monitoring and weighing, reduced calorie intake and increased physical activity.
In conclusion, at QuickDoc we are proud of our clients for taking the next step in their weight loss journey and are happy to be a trusted prescriber platform to facilitate this.
