Patients coming off obesity jabs should have regular weight check ups, NHS says

People stopping obesity jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro should have check-ups for at least a year to help prevent regaining weight, new NHS guidance says.

The advice, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), follows evidence that many people put most of the weight back on after stopping treatment.

It warns that weight management is a long-term journey requiring ongoing support, not a short-term fix.

Professor Jonathan Benger from NICE said: “Successful weight management doesn’t end when medication stops or when someone completes a behavioural programme.

“We know that the transition period after treatment is crucial, and people need structured support to maintain the positive changes they’ve made.”

NICE recommends patients develop lasting habits such as healthy eating and regular physical activity to help maintain progress.

Around 1.5 million people in the UK are using weight loss jabs, though most pay privately and will not be eligible for NHS support once they come off the medication.

Wegovy (semaglutide) is already available on the NHS for those with weight-related health issues and a high body mass index (BMI), but use is limited to two years. The NHS plans to offer Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to 240,000 people over the next three years, with no current time limit on prescriptions.

Both drugs help reduce appetite and are prescribed alongside programmes that support healthy weight loss through changes to diet and exercise. However, clinical trials show weight regain is common after stopping injections.

In a Wegovy trial, patients regained around two-thirds of the weight they had lost after stopping treatment. Mounjaro showed similar results.

NICE’s updated guidance encourages patients to build long-term behavioural habits, use self-monitoring tools, and seek wider support “from online communities to family-led interventions and local activities.”

Obesity affects around one in four adults in England. It can cause daily difficulties and increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Professor Kamila Hawthorn from the Royal College of GPs said: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to tackling obesity – what works for one patient will likely not work for another.

“We also need to see a greater focus on prevention, stopping people becoming overweight in the first place so they don’t require a medical intervention later.”