Reacción a "Anti-obesity drugs are associated with weight “rebound” after treatment"

The press release faithfully and clearly summarizes the main findings of the study, without distorting results or exaggerating conclusions. Although it could provide a bit more quantitative context and technical precision in some areas, it adequately fulfills its informative role for both general and specialized audiences. One nuance that could be considered is the following: although the study shows a statistically significant rebound, the amount of weight regained was on average between 1.5 and 2.5 kg, which may not be clinically alarming in all cases. The release could have included a quantitative example to reflect this nuance.

The study is of good quality. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis that follows PRISMA guidelines and is registered in PROSPERO, which demonstrates a rigorous and transparent approach. Eleven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, with a total of 2,466 participants (1,573 in the treatment group and 893 in the control group), and the overall risk of bias was assessed as low.

The conclusions are supported by statistically significant data on weight regain starting from eight weeks after discontinuation of the medication. Various subgroups are evaluated based on medication type, BMI, indication, lifestyle intervention, among others, which strengthens the validity of the findings.

The study adds to the existing literature by specifically focusing on the trajectory of weight after discontinuing anti-obesity medications (AOMs), a phase that has been underexplored in previous meta-analyses. The results confirm earlier findings on weight regain after stopping drugs like orlistat or semaglutide, and highlight that regain also occurs after stopping GLP-1 and other AOMs.

In addition, it compares these effects with those observed in other weight loss strategies (bariatric surgery and behavioral programs), reinforcing the idea that weight regain is a common phenomenon across different obesity treatment approaches.

The authors considered multiple potential confounding factors such as the type of AOM, presence of type 2 diabetes, baseline BMI, continuation of lifestyle interventions, and the magnitude and speed of weight loss. However, the study has some limitations, such as the limited number of included studies and heterogeneity among them. Moreover, some of the included trials did not have weight regain as a primary outcome, which could affect the quality of the extracted data. Additional parameters such as lipids, blood glucose, body composition, adverse effects, or specific causes of treatment discontinuation were not explored.

The study has significant real-world implications, such as showing that continuity or long-term sustained strategies are required in obesity treatment. Healthcare professionals should prepare patients for the possibility of weight rebound and consider long-term treatment through combinations of pharmacological and behavioral strategies. Additionally, the need to personalize treatment according to patient characteristics is once again emphasized, as well as the importance of understanding the impact of weight regain cycles on metabolic health, which is still not well studied and should be minimized.