Transformed By GLP-1 Weight Loss & Refusing To Be Stigmatized– Resilient Despite Surprising Negative Attitudes Revealed in New Study

According to a new Rice University study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, research indicates that weight loss alone does not erase stigma for people using GLP-1 therapies or those who regain weight after stopping the popular drugs.

The study found that people using GLP-1 medications were viewed more negatively than individuals who relied solely on diet and exercise to lose weight, and even those those who didn’t lose any weight.

GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss: Overview

Despite the study’s results indicating that GLP-1 users face distinct social bias, with negative perceptions persisting across different outcomes, there is a community praising blockbuster weight loss medications for helping them reclaim their life and find joy in every moment.

Kristen Marais, a 24-year-old who works in finance, spent most of her life feeling conscious of her body and “controlled by food,” says balancing life in her early 20s, after college, working her first corporate job led her to gain more weight—and ultimately decide on trying a GLP-1 drug for weight loss.

“I’ve been struggling with my weight my entire life. I’ve been trying to diet and exercise. It’s not working for me. And so, I decided to get on it, and I was kind of hesitant at first,” she admitted to SurvivorNet, noting she saw results within the first few months.

She explained, “When I had just started the GLP-1, I feel like in the beginning it was still kind of hard to exercise, but I very quickly saw as I lost weight, it became so much easier to keep exercising.

“I very quickly saw that as I lost weight, it became so much easier to start exercising the way that I wanted to. And it also became easier to do it consistently because it wasn’t so taxing and draining on my body to go to the gym and do a workout. I could get through a workout while it’s still being hard, but it not feeling impossible.”

Marais, who has since lost 90 pounds on her GLP-1 journey and fallen in love with running, now feels “much more confident meeting new people” and says dating has become easier.

She credits the GLP-1 medication for giving her a renewed sense of optimism.

“Now I feel like there’s so many more things that I actually really can do,” said Marais.

Mom of two and full-time teacher Kelsey DiMarcantonio, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, tells SurvivorNet that her GLP-1 weight loss transformation, which she began postpartum, has been about “getting my sparkle back and becoming the best version of me.”

DiMarcantonio, who admitted that weight gain during pregnancy left her feeling lost and unmotivated, explained, “When I finally decided to get support, it truly changed everything for me, not only just with the GLP one, but once I started making the decision to prioritize myself in that aspect, it made my life just kind of feel lighter.

“And then I also started prioritizing myself in a mental state as well … so therapy, things like that. I feel like it just kind of got me to choose myself when in a time I was literally putting all of my focus onto my children.”

Noting how she has no regret putting her children first, she continued, “You kind of lose yourself as a mom sometimes. And for me to get a little bit of myself back every single day, it was the best feeling ever.”

DiMarcantonio praises GLP-1s for initiating her “self-care era,” explaining, “I feel like it just opens so many doors into so many different versions of self-care.

She has since joined a book club, walks more outside, and nourishes herself with her favorite foods, but making them healthier.

“There’s so many different forms of self-care, but for me, the GLP one took off so much mental pressure and it just helped me feel better from the outside and the inside I guess. So it genuinely is what started my whole entire self-care journey,” she explained further.

“I am really proud of that because I feel like going from a place that is so dark and lonely to a place now where I am feeling so confident and passionate about it that I’m sharing my journey with others to let them know that there is support out there and they don’t have to do it alone.”

As for 57-year-old dad of three and DJ Scott Ialacci, whose GLP-1 journey began after he gained a significant amount of weight while going through a divorce and the Covid-19 pandemic, he said when he started to shed weight, it encouraged him to “make more healthy decisions, eat better, live better and do better things for my own mental and also physical health.”

Ialacci, from Brooklyn, NewYork, admitted his reasoning behind starting a GLP-1 drug was for him and his family.

“I wanted to feel good about myself. I wanted to feel healthy, and I wanted to be around. My dad … I lost him over 10 years ago and I wish I had him around. I don’t want my kids wishing that they had me around. So it was an important decision for me to make,” he told SurvivorNet.

“And I needed a little help with the [GLP-1] shot, the miracle shot … but I never disrespected the shot. I always make sure I still eat correctly, get a little bit of exercise in and play by the rules with it.”

Aside from the blockbuster weight loss drug helping Ialacci physically, he admitted, “They’ve also helped me emotionally and brought me back that confidence level that I had throughout my [DJ] career. And I am very grateful for that.”

The Hidden Stigma Attached to Weight-Loss Medications

Erin Standen, assistant professor of psychological sciences at Rice University, who co-authored the experimental study on stigma associated with weight loss and regain after GLP-1 receptor agonist use and discontinuation, spoke with Rice News about the hidden stigmas.

“The GLP-1 users were socially penalized not just compared to someone who lost weight through diet and exercise,” said Standen. “They were also rated more harshly than someone who didn’t lose weight in the first place.”

Noting how it’s believed that weight loss reduces any stigma, Standen said, “We’re seeing is that people may face judgment at multiple points. They may be judged for their weight and for how they choose to manage it.”

The ‘Widespread Benefits’ of GLP-1s

“GLPs are amazing medications. They change people’s lives in terms of cardiac risk and diabetes. They have widespread benefits,” Dr. Samantha Newman, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, recently told SurvivorNet.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a group of medications primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes. They help lower blood sugar levels by mimicking a natural hormone in the body that regulates insulin release and appetite. In recent years, these drugs—like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)—have also gained popularity for their effectiveness in promoting weight loss.

In addition to weight loss, there have been reports that GLP-1s can reduce people’s desire to drink, help them quit smoking, and even resolve certain fertility issues. Although it’s been touted in the media as a sort of miracle drug, it’s important to understand that much more research is needed.

A groundbreaking study, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggests GLP-1s may also help lower the risk of developing certain obesity-related cancers. The study was an observational study—meaning that researchers analyzed existing medical records rather than conducting a controlled trial. This means they could not prove that GLP-1RAs directly prevent cancer, only that they are associated with a lower risk.

Dr. Holly Lofton, director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone in Manhattan, also told SurvivorNet, ““Some of the benefits for using GLP-1 agonists can be weight loss, improvement in glycemic control or blood glucose, decreased risk of weight-related conditions such as various cancers, like breast cancer, endometrial cancer, colon cancer, liver disease.”

WATCH: NYU’s Dr. Holly Lofton explains what we do know about GLP-1RAs and cancer risk 

It’s important to note there are a variety of drugs available right now for weight loss, like Nova Nordisk’s semaglutide—which can be purchased under brand names Ozempic, Weygovy, and Rybelsu—and Tirzepatide, sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Others include Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira), a prescription medication which lessens one’s appetite, Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion), and bupropion (the generic form of Wellbutrin).

RELATED: The Pill Form Of GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Is Surging: New Early Data Finds More Urban, White Women Taking Advantage of Expanded Access to the Drug

Additionally, an oral (pill) form of semaglutide is reaching a broader patient population, after the FDA approved the pill in December 202.

Cancer Risk and Obesity

Bodyweight can be a sensitive subject for many people on any given day. However, among cancer patients whose treatment and diagnosis may influence their weight, the numbers on the scale fuel an already emotional journey.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Being overweight or having obesity are linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer.”

Research published in the journal “Cancers” says that “Obesity also increases the risk of dying from cancer and may influence the treatment choices. About 4–8% of all cancers are attributed to obesity.”

WATCH: Living a healthy lifestyle.

Being overweight or obese is linked with an increased risk of many types of cancer, including the following:

• Breast cancer (in women past menopause)
• Colon and rectal cancer
• Endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus)
• Esophagus cancer
• Gallbladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Pancreas cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Meningioma (a tumor of the lining of the brain and spinal cord)

Being overweight or obese might also raise the risk of other cancers, such as:

• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Male breast cancer
• Cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box
• Aggressive forms of prostate cancer

RELATED: Can GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Lower Cancer Risk? What Patients Need to Know About Obesity and Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), fat tissue “produces excess amounts of estrogen,” which is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. The NCI says a person who is severely obese is “7 times” more likely to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

Obesity is associated with high levels of insulin, which can lead to colon, kidney, prostate, and endometrial cancer.

Obesity can affect cancer survivors in various ways, including the chance of cancer recurrence and overall quality of life.

To learn more about your ideal healthy weight, determine your body mass index (BMI).

Body weight that exceeds what the body mass index deems appropriate for your weight and height can help determine body fat content. Although your BMI can help you learn if you are at a healthy weight, underweight, overweight, or obese, other factors may contribute to your overall health.

The NCI analyzed several studies to observe the impact of physical activity on overall cancer risk. The NCI says that “higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risk of several types of cancer.”

Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management are some ways people can lead a healthy life. For cancer survivors, a healthier lifestyle alongside getting regular checks for recurrence may improve their quality of life.

WATCH: Obesity and Cancer Risk

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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