Ozempic has gained widespread traction from medical professionals and the general population alike. The drug’s capabilities and unique groundbreaking attack on obesity and diabetes have made the drug irresistible to media fame.  

Developed by Danish pharmaceutical Novo Nordisk in 2012, the GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) Receptor Agonist has produced never before seen results. Not only taking on the main strife of diabetes and or obesity but the comorbidities that interrupt the lives of those who suffer.  

Put most simply, the drug operates by mimicking the hormone responsible for signaling that you are full to your brain…essentially curbing your appetite. However, this is an understatement. The drug has yielded weight loss percentages ranging from 15-20%, quickly going beyond the typical 5-10% observed with other diabetes medications.  

Essentially these drugs have the capability to bring new life to people who suffer from diabetes or unhealthy weight. Yet the promising results have heightened society’s ancient obsession with body image.  

Unfortunately, influencers, celebrities and media have gotten hold of the narrative surrounding the medication. Ozempic has been coined as Hollywoods newest miracle weight loss drug and has fallen into the dangerous media obsession with slimness. For many the uncomfortable triad of influencers, body image and social networks is an everyday battle. GLP-1s have now joined the conflict.

 Widespread media coverage, and heavy promotion has accentuated the idealization of the human body for ages. Much of the online content revolving Ozempic and similar drugs have intertwined the medications with the more problematic notion that thinness equates to health.

Following a study concerned with the correlations between media, body image health and eating disorders, researchers found that constant exposure to the “thin ideal” eventually led up to the  internalization of these concepts. In short, Ozempic isn’t the big kahuna here but has simply been swept into the complexities of media and body issues in America. The study also helps to provide context on the significant impact when individuals, particularly prominent figures like Kim Kardashian, Chelsea Handler, rapper Fat Joe, and others who use Ozempic, share their aesthetic transformations. It is easy for this content at such a high volume, to lead to feelings of inadequacy centered on ideas of thinness and idealized body standards. 

Even here at IU, we see the correlation of social media and body image on a very real level. IU Dietitian Bobbie Saccone, encounters this struggle through her patients practically every day.

Professionals fear that as time and research has shown, this overwhelming weight loss content and its new playmate, Ozempic, will feed into the well to known issues in young adults on social media.

Mental health issues in young adults being motivated by social media is no strange concept. Just this year the state of Indiana and other states made the effort to go after social media companies and hold them responsible for the damage being caused to adolescents by the use and abuse of their sites.

Despite the undeniable medical accomplishments that these drugs have made…it is crucial to carefully mitigate the language, content and marketing surrounding these drugs. Like any major new thing, when in the wrong hands has just as much power to cause harm in the same way it also brings on the good.

To address this properly, emphasizing the importance of accurate information and responsible posting on social media are the key to media literacy and the tackling of the body image crisis that plagues our media. More importantly, users should focus on the health focused benefits of the medication rather than tying it to physical appearance changes.