Prescriptions of anti-obesity medications, particularly the GLP-1 receptor agonists Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) [and of course Ozempic (semaglutide for type 2 diabetes treatment)] are on the rise, and their use is already changing the way that people eat.
The food industry is already developing new products and adjusting its existing products to appeal to patients using weight loss medications. But at SAY, as healthcare and food and nutrition communications specialists, we have been considering how the industry might adapt its communications strategies to reach this new cohort of consumers who are both ‘patients’ taking a medication to treat their disease and consumers with a changing attitude and relationship with food and new expectations about weight loss and healthy living.
Research from Morgan Stanley and others shows that in the US, people taking weight loss injections are reducing their intake of foods high in sugar and fat, and opting for healthier, nutrient-dense products, while ADM’s survey shows they are paying more attention to their foods’ protein, fibre and sugar content. Meanwhile, as access to these medications begins to rise in the UK, research from Nesta shows that people can lose the joy of eating while using weight loss jabs.
We also know from clinical trials with Mounjaro for example that people may gain weight after stopping their treatment, which can be disheartening.
As this audience moves through its weight loss journey, their needs will change dramatically from wanting little to no food or being more selective about what they eat while they are on anti-obesity medication to needing strategies to curb their appetite once they are off treatment and having to maintain their new weight.
THE WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION USER: LEARNINGS FROM HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER INDUSTRIES
Healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the weight loss and pharmaceutical industries have been communicating with this audience for some time, even before the availability of the GLP-1s, and their experience with successful comms strategies can offer useful insight.
‘People-first’ language: People with obesity have often experienced the stigma of blame and shame about their condition. As a result, acting on the advice of HCPs, communications use ‘people-first’ language that avoids dehumanising or labelling such as using ‘person undergoing treatment for obesity’ rather than ‘obesity patient’ and ‘affected by obesity’ rather than ‘obese’.
Communications with compassion and empathy, alongside positive, non-stereotypical imagery, are a must when marketing brands to people living with obesity.
Offering education and support: When supporting someone with obesity, the medical profession will focus on the health risks of obesity and the benefits of positive lifestyle changes rather than weight control and body image. Food brands could learn from this approach by offering a supportive role through their comms, emphasising how their products can help people develop sustainable, healthy eating habits alongside medication use to support long-term lifestyle change.
Supportive language is important here too. When repositioning to focus more on health, brands should talk about sustainable behavioural goals, eating habits and eating patterns rather than ‘diet’ and ‘losing weight’.
Companies who already sell healthier foods could respond by showing how their products offer the nutritional aid Wegovy and Mounjaro users look for when eating fewer calories, such as protein to counter muscle loss and fibre to support a healthy gut. Similarly, food supplement brands and functional foods might want to emphasise how they can support the metabolic and gut health of people taking weight loss medications. Care will obviously be needed to ensure that any claims are within the parameter of the regulations.
Misinformation is rife in the GLP-1 arena and media coverage is often focused on side effects and on an individual’s dramatic experience of weight loss. There is a real need for balanced, credible information and education in this space. Responsible communications should therefore include messaging that is accurate and evidence-based to offer true support and maintain trust.
Perhaps there are opportunities for food companies and healthcare providers and even the pharmaceutical industry to work together on comms initiatives to support patients using weight loss jabs?
THE WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION USER: THE LANGUAGE OF TEMPTATION
Nesta’s research showed that use of weight loss medications reduced people’s pleasure in eating or made them uninterested in food. While there is lots of advice on how to resist temptation, there may now be a need for the food industry to persuade consumers prescribed GLP-1 treatments to eat their products to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet. The good news is that ADM’s survey of GLP-1 users shows that 74% of them were willing to experiment with novel foods and formats.
Suitable campaigns could raise awareness of the benefits of eating well for the longer term while taking weight loss jabs, to encourage users’ interest in food. Using relatable case studies and providing practical, evidence-based resources that explain what healthy eating means in practical terms, by breaking down complex nutritional information into simple terms, will ensure what they eat meets their nutritional needs and can help them maintain a healthy weight in the future.
COMPLEMENTING WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS
There is an opportunity too for some brands to reframe their positioning to be complementary to Wegovy and Mounjaro. Indeed, ADM’s survey shows that 83% of consumers using weight loss jabs find products specially marketed as supportive of people on GLP-1 medications appealing.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE FORMER WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION USER
After people stop using GLP-1s, they will need help and support to make the necessary changes to their food, nutrition and lifestyle to keep to their goal weight in the long term. There are opportunities here for food brands to help by promoting sustainable healthy eating behaviours.
Similarly, weight management will continue to be a goal for many, even those who don’t opt to use medication, so supportive comms will benefit a wider audience.
To engage anyone who is struggling to stay on course with their eating goals, brands can consider campaigns that first highlight that they are not alone, perhaps using insight data. Helpful strategies can draw on the power of support via patient advocacy groups and communities of their peers in social channels. It may be appropriate to fund education and work with suitable stakeholders to develop weight management and other supportive content, such as positive patient stories, to help them stay strong.
In the UK, prescription-only weight loss medications can only be used under medical supervision and alongside diet and exercise. As their use expands, an integrated approach will be needed that also emphasises lifestyle changes and dietary support to deliver long-term benefits, within which the healthy food industry can play an important part.
SAY Communications is a healthcare communication agency that develops both patient engagement campaigns for pharmaceutical companies and consumer communications for healthy food brands and is uniquely placed to help you engage with this new audience. If you’re planning to develop and deploy new communications strategies and plans that resonate with this new consumer mindset, SAY can ensure your messaging aligns with your corporate goals and builds transparency, consistency, credibility and trust with all stakeholder groups. And if you are changing your products – or developing new ones – to stay relevant and appeal to these new health-conscious consumers, we also guide businesses in brand messaging. Get in touch with our team at hello@saycomms.co.uk to learn more.
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