Obesity and eating disorders have traditionally been treated as separate areas of healthcare – but the rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines is increasingly bringing the two together.
Adelaide University researchers say the growing use of medicines such as Ozempic and Mounjaro is highlighting an under-recognised overlap between the conditions – and raising important questions about who could benefit and who may be at risk.
Emerging preliminary evidence suggests GLP-1 medicines may reduce binge-eating behaviours in some people, while questions remain about whether their appetite-suppressing effects could potentially pose risks for some people with eating disorders.
Professor Gemma Sharp, a clinical psychologist and an international expert in eating disorders, body image and weight disorders, said the traditional divide no longer reflects the reality of patient care.
“For too long we’ve treated obesity and eating disorders as though they’re opposing health conditions, but they actually have more in common than many people realise,” Prof Sharp said.
“Often, when people think of an eating disorder, they picture someone who is very thin. But that’s one of the biggest misconceptions in this field.
“In fact, most people living with an eating disorder are not underweight, and many go undiagnosed because the focus is often on weight rather than recognising the eating disorder itself.
“As medicines such as Ozempic and Mounjaro become more widely used, the need to consider obesity and eating disorders together is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.”
The potential overlap is significant. In Australia, about one in three adults live with obesity. Around 5% of Australians (around 1.1 million people) experience an eating disorder.
While early evidence suggests GLP-1 medicines may help some people, researchers say they are only one part of the solution.
“The challenge isn’t simply the medicines themselves – it’s ensuring they’re used as part of evidence-based, multidisciplinary care,” Prof Sharp said.
“Eating disorders aren’t one disease, so there won’t be one answer. And while GLP-1 medicines may become an important treatment option for some people, they’re only one piece of the puzzle.
“The priority now is identifying which patients are most likely to benefit, which patients are at greatest risk of harm, and ensuring appropriate screening, monitoring and multidisciplinary care become part of routine prescribing.
“The future isn’t choosing between treating obesity and treating eating disorders. It’s recognising that many people experience both and building care around the whole person – not simply the number on the scales.”
Issues like these are discussed by the Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders (CoRe-ED).
Established by Professor Sharp, CoRe-ED is a first-of-its-kind international independent charity initiative bringing together the diverse perspectives needed to tackle complex issues in eating disorders – including researchers, clinicians, people with lived experience, advocates, not-for-profit organisations and industry, as well as partners working in related fields such as obesity.
“GLP-1 medicines are a perfect example of why CoRe-ED was established,” Professor Sharp said.
“Complex issues like this require us to bring different voices and disciplines to the same table, rather than approaching obesity and eating disorders in isolation.”