It is not prescribed as prevention, your insurance only approve it if you’re already considered morbidly obese and if your insurance has obesity listed under medical care, which many providers do not. (Signed, me, an obese person who could not get it approved by insurance after a long fight.)

The problem with any weight loss medication is that it does absolutely nothing to prevent or cure obesity. It might give you a jumpstart, but the second you’re off of it, that weight will come right back. There is no quick fix for sustainable weight loss, the fact that we’re still being peddled medications like this after decades of seeing them fail, harm people, and continue the endless spiral of disordered eating habits is mind numbing. The only way people with bad knees, high blood, pressure, and other health issues related to obesity will actually fix those problems is if they address the root issue, which is most often issued binge eating and disordered thoughts around food. (Unless the weight gain was caused by medications, thyroid issues, etc .) I gained a lot of weight after being on thyroid medication, and wanted to try Wegovy to help me take some of it off. I lost about 20 pounds on a sample, but when my insurance denied it, I came off and immediately gained that weight back—and then some. Instead, I focused on getting a nutritionist who has been helping me sensibly and healthfully restrict calories, exercise, and set my sight on long-term weight loss goals. It will take longer to accomplish, but will be much healthier on my body in the long run. I wish people would just except that diet and exercise and healthy eating habits are the only thing that will help with long-term weight loss for health. Some of this stuff might initially help people who are morbidly obese, yes, but it’s still not an actual solution to anything—they will gain it back even after intervention or even surgery if there isn’t education and therapy as part of that plan. A pill or injection is just a bandaid and frankly, it’s insulting that the doctors who should know better keep trying to push this stuff. But I’m sure they get a cut of the profits so I shouldn’t be surprised.