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A new survey has found that nearly half of adults in the United States are interested in taking prescription drugs for weight loss, such as Ozempic or Wegovy. In a KFF health tracking poll published on 3 August, researchers reported that 45 per cent of adults said they’d be interested in taking a “safe and effective” prescription drug for weight loss. Meanwhile, seven in 10 adults said they’ve heard at least “a little” about a new class of drugs being used for weight loss, with about one in five saying they have heard “a lot” about these drugs. Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes medication known for its weight loss side effects. Similar semaglutide injections, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, have been specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. This class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), regulating blood sugar levels and slowing down the rate at which food leaves the stomach to create the feeling of fullness. Of the US adults surveyed, older groups were some of the most aware of prescription weight loss drugs, with 76 per cent being those who have been told by a doctor in the past five years that they are overweight or obese. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were currently trying to lose weight as well. While there was an overall interest in taking a prescription weight loss drug, that interest significantly decreased when people were asked whether they would take the medication as a routine injection. Only 16 per cent of adults said they would still take Ozempic or Wegovy, even if it wasn’t covered by their health insurance and was not specifically approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for weight loss. In fact, most people believed that insurance companies should cover the cost of weight loss drugs for adults who are overweight or obese, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of adults. Additionally, a large majority of adults believed the substantial profits that pharmaceutical companies have made from increased demand for weight loss drugs is a major factor contributing to the cost of injections like Ozempic and Wegovy. According to Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind these prescription drugs for diabetes and weight loss, the list price for Ozempic can cost $935.77 per month without health insurance. Although the majority of adults said they trust pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk to provide “reliable information” about safety and side effects of GLP-1 agonists, only 22 per cent said they trust these companies to price their products fairly. The FDA has listed the most common side effects of taking Wegovy as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders. More serious complications can occur from use of Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking. Taking Ozempic can also lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems. Recently, several patients reported suffering from severe gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, after taking the prescription weight loss medications. In a report from CNN, two people claimed that their “stomachs are paralysed” after taking Ozempic. “I wish I never touched it. I wish I’d never heard of it in my life,” Joanie Knight, a 37-year-old from Louisiana, told CNN. “This medicine made my life hell. So much hell. It has cost me money. It cost me a lot of stress; it cost me days and nights and trips with my family. It’s cost me a lot, and it’s not worth it. The price is too high.” One woman was also diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome, which causes her to throw up multiple times a day. “I’ve almost been off Ozempic for a year, but I’m still not back to my normal,” said Emily Wright, a 38-year-old teacher from Toronto. Shortly after the report, the FDA shared in a statement with The Independent that it has become aware of stomach paralysis occurring among patients taking the medications. “The FDA has received reports of gastroparesis with semaglutide and liraglutide, of which some documented the adverse event as not recovered after discontinuation of the respective product at the time of the report,” the agency said. However, officials clarified that they were unable to determine whether taking Ozempic or Wegovy was the cause of stomach paralysis, or if it was caused by a different issue. “Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes that is related to long-standing or poorly controlled disease, further complicating the ability to determine what role the drugs played in the reported events,” the FDA added. In response to reports of stomach paralysis, drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk noted that these medications have been used to treat type 2 diabetes “for more than 15 years”, and for the “treatment of obesity” for eight years. “Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of exposure,” a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said in a statement to The Independent. “Gastrointestinal (GI) events are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 class. For semaglutide, the majority of GI side effects are mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. GLP-1’s are known to cause a delay in gastric emptying, as noted in the label of each of our GLP-1 RA medications. Symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting are listed as side effects.” Read More Obese people on weight-loss jabs ‘should be prepared to stay on them for life’ Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as weight loss drug side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Sharon Osbourne says she was ‘nauseous’ for weeks after taking Ozempic to lose weight Sharon Osbourne reveals what Ozempic did to her when she was taking it Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Lorraine Candy: ‘Perimenopausal rage made me unravel’

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It appears that a new fashion trend has been ushered in at the Cannes Film Festival, worn by the likes of Sydney Sweeney, Scarlett Johansson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The iconic exposed bras of the early 2000s have made a comeback, but not everyone is fully on board with a seemingly half-baked iteration of a once-beloved trend. Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney stepped out in Cannes, France, wearing a silky slip dress layered over a powder-blue Miu Miu bra, with its cups and straps peering over the bustier top. While waltzing through the lobby of the Hotel Martinez with her fiancé Jonathan Davino, Sweeney paired the visible bra look with white platform heels and small diamond hoop earrings. Over on the Cannes red carpet for the premiere of Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, actor Scarlett Johansson showed off her own version of the exposed bra trend with a pale pink custom Prada number. The light pink column dress included a thin-strapped white bra built into the bodice. Meanwhile, model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley embraced the exposed bra trend in Fendi couture. Her white thigh-slit gown came equipped with a sparkly bra insert. In fact, much of the Fendi Spring 2023 couture collection was dominated by visible bras and negligee-inspired ensembles. Underwear as fashion is nothing new. Pop icons of the early to mid-2000s, like Amy Winehouse and Nicki Minaj, were rocking the visible bra trend before it was cool. In the 2004 comedy Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan’s character Cady Heron unabashedly wore a hot pink bra under her satin strapless dress as she made her way to the top of the high school food chain. Plus, who could forget the recent revival of the controversial “whale tail” trend? Some people online are praising the return of the beloved exposed bra, while others believe these A-list celebrities aren’t fully embracing the resurgence. “Actually loving this ‘visible bra’ trend we’re seeing at Cannes! It’s so cute to me and pokes a bit of fun at a common faux pas that really shouldn’t be one imo [in my opinion],” said one person on Twitter, while another wrote: “Whatever this ‘exposed bra’ trend is I don’t like it, let’s get back to the drawing board.” Someone else pointed out that wearing visible cups “has to be done right,” as they showed images of rappers Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice perfecting the exposed bra trend. On the other hand, many people believed that a black-tie, red carpet event like the Cannes Film Festival wasn’t the appropriate occasion for an otherwise casual fashion trend. Rather than accompanying bra straps with a floor-length gown, it seems fashion lovers would prefer if celebrities stuck to the basics. “They’re trying to make it classy and elegant when it has to be the exact opposite!” one user claimed. As exposed bras are set to become one of the biggest fashion moments of the year, others are hoping that the emerging trend will soon be done right, like one person, who wrote: “Maybe the executions so far are bad and we’re just not seeing the vision yet.” Aside from underwear and bras, there have been many best-dressed moments from this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The Great star Elle Fanning turned heads with her silver Paco Rabanne dress – which was declared the “party dress of the season” and included long, shard-like sequins and two metal cut-out snowflakes that covered the actor’s chest. Jennifer Lawrence arrived on the red carpet on Sunday wearing a crimson Christian Dior couture gown featuring a corset bustier with ruffled bust and matching red shawl. But it was her footwear that really stood out as the Oscar-winner opted for a pair of casual black flip-flops instead of heels. Stranger Things star Maya Hawke wore a moss green Prada mid-length dress for the premiere of Asteroid City, while Natalie Portman donned a recreation of Christian Dior’s iconic Junon dress, which was first designed in 1949. Read More Elle Fanning wows fans with daring cut-out dress at Cannes: ‘My nips could never’ Maya Hawke raises eyebrows at Cannes as she pirouettes down red carpet From Elle Fanning to Jennifer Lawrence: All the best-dressed stars at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Exposed bras are the newest fashion trend, but not everyone is convinced All the best-dressed stars at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Dua Lipa reveals how she bonded with designer Donatella Versace

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