Weight-loss jabs halve sick leave, ease NHS strain, study shows

Weight-loss drugs could halve sickness absence and significantly reduce the strain on the NHS, according to research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.

A UK study of patients who received GLP-1 injections for nine months found that sickness days fell by nearly half, and absences lasting five days or more dropped by more than 50%.

Analysis of the findings suggests that expanding access to these medications could cut emergency department visits by obese patients by a quarter and free up nearly 10 million general practice appointments annually.

The study assessed 1,270 NHS patients enrolled in Oviva’s tier 3 weight management program, all of whom were prescribed GLP-1 injections along with treatment for at least three weight-related conditions, most commonly anxiety, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

The majority took semaglutide — either Wegovy for weight loss or Ozempic for type 2 diabetes. After nine months, patients lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight, and their average body mass index fell from 45 to 39. Sick leave among those taking the injections fell by 45%, while long-term sick leave — defined as absences of five days or more — declined by 56%.

Patients also required fewer GP visits: face-to-face appointments dropped by an average of 43% and remote consultations by 48%. More than 60% reported no GP contact during the study period. A separate analysis of 738 patients prescribed the injections found emergency department visits fell by one quarter.

With about 30% of adults in England classified as obese, experts said that if the program were expanded to the 3.4 million people currently eligible for weight-loss injections on the NHS, it could free up nearly 10 million GP appointments each year, saving the health service about £364 million annually — equivalent to almost 3% of the GP core budget.

Martin Fidock, the UK managing director of Oviva, a digital healthcare services provider, said: “Britain is in the grip of a productivity crisis, and obesity is one of the biggest drivers. Our data shows that when people get the right treatment – jabs combined with proper clinical support – they don’t just lose weight. They get back to work, stop relying on their GP and start living again.”

Dr Charlotte Refsum, director of policy at the Tony Blair Institute, called the findings “striking.” She added: “Broader access to anti-obesity medications could deliver significant gains for the economy alongside major savings for the NHS. This study brings that to life in the real world – showing not just substantial weight loss, but fewer GP visits and more people staying in work.”

Separately, two Danish studies presented at the same conference suggested the drugs have beneficial effects on asthma and migraines. Researchers found that patients with asthma who were overweight or had obesity or type 2 diabetes and took semaglutide or liraglutide experienced a 26% reduction in asthma exacerbations — including hospitalizations — compared with the previous year, a 14% reduction in inhaler use, and a 23% decrease in daily inhaled corticosteroid exposure. Pneumonia events also fell by 10%, with effects observed within a month of starting GLP-1 treatment, before significant weight loss occurred.

A second Danish study found that 18- to 35-year-olds receiving Wegovy for weight management had an 18% reduction in the use of acute migraine triptan medication. Researchers noted that further studies are needed to establish the dose effect and whether similar findings could be replicated with other GLP-1 drugs.