"Why seek out Wegovy or Mounjaro when I haven't gained weight?"... It's a body shape issue, not a weight issue [Health Talk]

[Financial News] "Among those who feel they need to lose more weight despite being at a normal weight, it is not uncommon for their actual concerns to lie in specific body parts rather than their body weight."
With the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety scheduled to finalize the process this month to designate GLP-1 class obesity treatments, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, as "drugs of concern for misuse and abuse," experts have advised distinguishing between concerns regarding "weight" and "body shape."
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety views the use of prescription drugs for obesity treatment for dieting purposes among people of normal weight as the background for the designation. Once designated, relevant labeling on product packaging becomes mandatory, and a prescription is required to purchase the product, even in areas exempt from the separation of prescribing and dispensing of medicines.
The scale of prescriptions is growing rapidly. According to data released at a recent symposium hosted by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) and the Korean Medical and Bio Journalists Association, the number of completed Drug Utilization Review (DUR) checks for domestic GLP-1 obesity treatments reached approximately 337,000 in May of this year alone. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety expresses concern that while Korea's objective obesity rate is not high, the "subjective obesity perception rate"—where individuals consider themselves obese—reaches 54%, potentially leading to misuse and abuse.

Dr. Jo Jae-hyung, Chief Director of Line Culture Clinic (Surgeon), stated, "Among those who feel they need to lose more weight despite being at a normal weight, it is not uncommon for their actual concern to lie in specific areas such as the upper arms, lower abdomen, or thighs rather than the weight itself." He added, "In these cases, it is closer to a matter of where the fat is distributed rather than a problem of weight."
Director Cho explained that losing weight and changing the shape of specific body parts are separate issues. "Even if you lose weight, you cannot selectively lose fat only from the desired areas," he said. "If you lose more weight from a normal weight, fat may actually come off in other areas first, leading to unexpected results."
There is no need to view all localized fat as something to be eliminated. Director Jo emphasized, "It is natural for body shapes to vary from person to person, and just because there is noticeable localized fat does not mean it all requires correction," adding that "a certain amount of fat also plays a role in creating the body's curves and natural lines."

There are also opinions within the medical community that access for patients who need treatment must be protected, given that GLP-1 therapies have been confirmed to lower the risk of cardiovascular and kidney diseases beyond just weight loss.
He stated, "Obesity medication is an important treatment tool for those who need it," adding, "However, if your weight is normal but you are concerned about specific body parts, the problem the medication aims to solve is different." He continued, "Muscle mass and skin elasticity can also change during the weight loss process, so it is too early to judge your body shape at that stage," and added, "Regardless of the method you are considering, the priority is to accurately assess your condition after your weight has stabilized."
Director Jo advised that when considering weight management, one should first distinguish whether the concern is weight or the shape of a specific body part, use obesity medications in accordance with approval standards after consulting a doctor, avoid products purchased through unofficial distribution channels such as direct overseas purchases, and receive sufficient consultation regarding side effects, the recovery process, and individual differences in results if considering body contouring procedures or surgery.


[email protected] Jeong Myeong-jin, Medical Specialist Reporter