The science on GLP-1 drugs is not what the marketing says it is.
Ragen Chastain has been studying weight science, weight stigma, and healthcare practice for over 20 years. In this episode, she gives us the clearest breakdown yet of what the research actually supports — as of May 2026 — and how to tell the difference between evidence and pharmaceutical strategy.
This is part of the Beyond GLP-1 expert interview series on It's Beyond The Food.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why GLP-1 drugs are solid for type 2 diabetes but how the weight loss dose is a fundamentally different use
What the weight regain data actually shows — including what happens while people are still on the drug
How secondary use claims get built and why the cardiovascular trial results apply to far fewer people than the approval suggests
What the death data shows — and why Novo Nordisk was cited for under-reporting serious adverse events
Specific questions to ask your provider before starting a GLP-1 medication — and how to ask for weight-inclusive care
Ragen Chastain's Weight and Healthcare Substack: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/
Dances With Fat: https://danceswithfat.org/
Ragen's speaking website — Sized for Success: https://www.sizedforsuccess.com/
Dr. Rachel Fox's anti-obesity assemblage dissertation: https://www.rachelefox.com/research.html
GLP-1 Informed Consent (Medical Students for Size Inclusivity, 2023): https://sizeinclusivemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MSSI-GLP1-Informed-Consent-1-1.pdf
Louise Adams on GLP-1 — listen to the earlier episode in the Beyond GLP-1 series: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/468-beyond-glp-1-a-triumph-of-marketing-over/id1172102796?i=1000766587046
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