The World Health Organization has issued its first guideline on treatments to support millions of people struggling with obesity.
The guideline specifically recommends the use of glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, therapies, a class of drugs that includes tirzepatide, liraglutide, and semaglutide, which are found in popular weight-loss treatments such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
WHO said these therapies may be used by adults — excluding pregnant women — for the long-term treatment of obesity, which has become a serious public health issue now affecting more than 1 billion people globally. WHO defines obesity in adults as having a body mass index of 30 or higher.