Culture | Here’s the skinny

Weight-loss drugs have changed culture

And slimmed demand for diet books

A book being squeezed around the waist by a tape measure — Illustration: Carl Godfrey

Sep 19th 2024

FROM LOS ANGELES to London, weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic are reshaping culture as much as waistlines. Some Ozempic-takers have tiny appetites and dine at unusual hours to avoid spells of nausea. Others have lost their taste for alcohol. Many have given up on the gym, either because they are tired or because the drugs keep them svelte. #MyOzempicJourney posts have racked up millions of views on TikTok, as people share how they are adjusting to their new lifestyles.

This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Here’s the skinny”