logoalt Hacker News

kelseyfrog10/11/20243 repliesview on HN

From my understanding GLP-1 agonists can actually modulate the reward pathway reducing people's appetite for toxic diets.

We're not socially caught up yet to this information. I suspect there are folks who believe that regardless of similar outcome (reduction of toxic diet), that changing diet without medication is superior to those who change their behavior through pharmacological intervention. It's like the pre-1990s view on depression or anxiety - chemical intervention is a moral weakness.


Replies

akira250110/11/2024

> chemical intervention is a moral weakness.

As a default it is. And that's what it became. We stopped trying any other methods. Come in the door, have a set of symptoms that check all the boxes, walk out in 30 minutes with a prescription, doctor's office gets a bonus. Institutional psychiatric treatment is drugs first actual treatment later.

This is a _social_ problem. It should be discussed and addressed as such. You should not attempt to pervert this concern into an _individual_ issue in an effort to invoke a needless moral defense.

show 2 replies
mrweasel10/11/2024

> GLP-1 agonists can actually modulate the reward pathway reducing people's appetite for toxic diets.

There are also studies out showing that people just up their sugar intake, so I think the results on how it affects peoples diet is still pending. From what I've seen, people are eating less, but more of it is junk food and sugar.

I can absolutely see why people would want to be able to just take a drug and start losing weight, it's hard. My concern is that it takes more than a low body weight to be healthy. You still need exercise, and while that's not an effective weight-lose solution, it is something that most would add when trying to lose weight, and now they're missing out on that part. Arguably exercise is more important than your weight.

show 1 reply
andrewmcwatters10/11/2024

You can literally do the same thing by eating a healthy diet for 2-4 weeks.

show 6 replies