ASO members Sarah Le Brocq and Dr Beverley O’Hara have contributed to a recent episode of BBC Radio 4’s Inside Health, exploring the growing use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, their potential side effects, and their wider impact on how society understands obesity.
The programme examines the increasing use of weight-loss medications in the UK, with more than 1.5 million adults reported to have tried weight-loss drugs in 2024-25. While many people describe these treatments as life-changing, they have also been associated with side effects including nausea and, in some cases, painful gallstones.
Sarah Le Brocq shares her lived experience of obesity and her use of GLP-1 receptor agonists over the past two to three years. Dr Beverley O’Hara, Lecturer in Public Health Nutrition at Leeds Beckett University and ASO’s UKCO Deputy Lead, discusses the evidence around side effects and the broader implications of these medications for public health and society.
They are joined by Professor Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow, and Dr Margaret McCartney, GP and regular Inside Health contributor. Together, the panel considers what the evidence tells us about the known and potential side effects of these medicines, as well as how their growing use may be shaping public perceptions of obesity, weight and health.
ASO welcomes thoughtful, evidence-based discussion on obesity treatment and the importance of including lived experience alongside clinical and public health expertise.
Listen to the episode here: BBC Inside Health – GLP-1 receptor agonists and obesity
The episode is available for over a year.
