NOVO NORDISK - WEGOVY®

NEW REVOLUTIONARY WEIGHT LOSS DRUG!

WWEGOVY® WAS RECENTLY introduced to the market by Novo Nordisk and looks like being one of the most effective anti-obesity drugs to date. This product could result in Novo Nordisk becoming a leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Obesity can lead to severe health problems and many obese people experience difficulty trying to lose weight. This new product is effective at reducing weight, and the side effects are manageable.

It is an example of a new generation of medications based on a better understanding of the biological underpinnings of obesity. While previous pharmaceutical treatments resulted in weight loss of 5-10%, clinical trials of this new wave of drugs are reporting initial weight loss of 15-20%. They work by suppressing appetite and slowing down digestion, so we feel full for longer. One of these medications is “semaglutide” and is sold under the brand name Wegovy®.

These drugs are so effective because they address one of the many complex causes of obesity. When we eat, our bodies usually release “satiety hormones” to make us feel full. However, for people living with obesity, this doesn’t always happen, which can result in uncontrolled hunger and heightened responsiveness to food. Prolonged restriction of food – also known as dieting, and something most people living with obesity will face pressure to do – can further weaken that satiety hormone response. It contains the satiety hormone GLP1, which steps in where the body’s hormones may have failed, boosting sensations of fullness, suppressing reward-driven eating and increasing feelings of control.

However, caution is needed. Semaglutide side-effects can include nausea, bloating, diarrhoea and wind (potentially others), which is why close medical supervision is advised as the dose is increased beyond the first four weeks.

While there is no doubt that these drugs are an important tool in managing obesity, they are only that – one tool. The drug fulfils a biological function but doesn’t provide mental health support or treatment for an eating disorder. Drastic weight loss can have unpredictable effects on mental health. One study found that almost one in five people who receive bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) later experience depression.

Some people living with obesity have used food as a coping mechanism to deal with stress or underlying mental health issues – they will need support once that coping mechanism is removed. Weight-loss treatments should be implemented as part of a much wider support programme that includes advice on nutrition and eating behaviour, psychological support and supported physical activity.

Obesity is complex and is becoming widely recognised as a lifelong, chronic, relapsing disease. We can get better at management, but scientists have not yet found a robust cure – not even with this new product.

Healthcare practitioners need training in obesity management, access to a range of clinical tools and options to work with, and an evidence base to help inform treatment plans to meet individuals’ needs. We also require considerable investment in specialised weight management services within the communities which need them most.

And while most people appropriately prescribed the drug will experience some benefits, clinical tests have shown that the new drug will not work for everyone. The drivers of obesity are diverse, and no drug addresses situational and psychology factors. Structural health inequalities, poverty, mental health issues and the impact of trauma (all shown to drive weight gain) will never be fixed by a jab.

Nevertheless, the European Medicines Agency decided that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks and has been authorised for use in the EU. This authorisation was given on 6 January 2022.

On 30 March 2023, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) also adopted a positive opinion, although recommending a change to the terms of the marketing authorisation for the medicinal product.

After one year’s availability in Europe, December 2022 was an important benchmark for Novo Nordisk, who announced that the FDA had approved Wegovy® for the treatment of obesity in teens who are 12 and older, while making clear that the product is not meant for recreational or short-term use, so a person who wants to lose weight to look better for a vacation or a high school reunion would not be a candidate for this product. THE-INTL

Mariano Anthony Davies

PRESIDENT & CEO OXFORD BUSINESS SERVICES APS oxford-business.com

Mariano has over 40 years global experience as a bus iness executive. He spent ten years with KPMG, so far thirty years with British Chambers of Commerce (while also running Oxford Business Services ApS). He is a British citizen, who grew up in Kent, went to boarding school in Sussex and has a British university education. He has been married to a Dane for over 45 years and has held over 150 official anti-Brexit speeches since 2016. He both speaks and writes Danish without difficulty.

Shortbread

SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY A SLICE OF CLASSIC SHORTBREAD WITH YOUR AFTERNOON TEA OR COFFEE.

PHOTOGRAPHS & TEXT: NATASHA LIVIERO / UNSPLASH

Shortbread

MAKES 8 LARGE / 16 SMALL SLICES

INGREDIENTS:

140g unsalted butter, room temperature

60g castor sugar

130g flour

65g rice flour a pinch of salt castor sugar for dusting

METHOD:

1. Set oven to 1700C fan/1500C.

2. Grease a 20cm round loose bottom cake tin.

3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment.

4. Sift the flour’s and add to the butter mixture with a pinch of salt.

5. Mix until the mixture resembles sea sand.

6. With your hands, bring the dough together until it forms a soft, smooth ball. Do not overwork the dough.

7. Press the dough into the cake tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon for an even surface.

8. Now, with the tines of a small fork, gently press into the dough around the sides of the tin.

9. With a sharp knife, mark out 8 or 16 triangles, pricking each one with a fork a few times.

10. Rest the shortbread in the fridge for 25 minutes.

11. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

12. Remove from the oven and cut through the marked slices, followed by a generous sprinkling of castor sugar. Rest for 5 minutes in the tin.

13. Gently remove the shortbread from the tin onto a cooling rack.

14. Once completely cooled, store the shortbread in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

NATASHA LIVIERO - PASTRY CHEF natashaliviero

Natasha is a recently qualified pastry chef who is South African by birth and Croatian by blood. She spent many years working for a wellness publication but did an about-turn at the beginning of 2020 when she joined a culinary school to fulfil a lifelong dream to study patisserie. She’s passionate about European patisserie and loves spending time in the kitchen experimenting with recipes (while quibbling with her feline friends), and is always on the hunt for interesting new cookbooks.