Specialists say the way forward for weight problems remedy will prolong far past GLP-1 medication by combining medicines with customized therapies and superior procedures.
The arrival of GLP-1 medicines resembling semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) has dramatically modified how weight problems is handled. However whereas these medication have produced spectacular outcomes, consultants say they’re just one a part of the answer for managing one in every of America’s most widespread power ailments.
A brand new commentary revealed within the American Gastroenterological Affiliation journal Gastroenterology revisits the influential POWER (Follow Information on Weight problems and Weight Administration, Schooling, and Sources) framework, initially launched in 2017. Titled “Revisiting POWER within the GLP-1 Age,” the replace displays how quickly weight problems care has advanced in recent times.
The revised steering highlights a number of main developments, together with the success of contemporary anti-obesity medicines, rising proof supporting endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies, broader use of bariatric surgical procedure, and rising advances in precision drugs that might make remedy extra customized.
A Broader View of Weight problems Therapy
In accordance with the up to date framework, GLP-1 receptor agonists have basically remodeled weight problems remedy. On the similar time, the authors argue that weight problems needs to be considered as a power, systemic illness relatively than being outlined primarily by physique mass index (BMI), which has important limitations when assessing an individual’s overall health risk.
The commentary also describes a shift toward multidisciplinary care, with physicians increasingly combining medications, endoscopic procedures, and surgery to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
New Therapies and Personalized Care
Researchers point to growing evidence supporting endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and other endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies as effective treatment options. They also note that advances in genetics and precision medicine may eventually help doctors identify which obesity treatments are most likely to benefit each individual patient.
The authors suggest that combining GLP-1 medications with endoscopic procedures or bariatric surgery could produce greater and longer-lasting weight loss than relying on either treatment approach alone.
The Expanding Role of Gastroenterology Specialists
The commentary also highlights the important role gastroenterologists and hepatologists play in treating obesity. These specialists frequently care for patients with obesity-related conditions, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, and a variety of gastrointestinal complications linked to obesity.
Reference: “Revisiting POWER in the GLP-1 Age” by Andres Acosta, Naresh Gunaratnam, Violeta Popov, Pooja Singhal, Janese Laster-Butler, Joel V. Brill, Rohit Kohli and John Magaña Morton, 17 June 2026, Gastroenterology.
DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2026.04.016
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