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Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs
The bestselling author of Lost Connections and Stolen Focus offers a revelatory look at the drugs upending weight loss as we knew it—from his personal experience on Ozempic to what these drugs mean for our society’s deeply dysfunctional relationship with food, weight, and our bodiesIn January 2023, bestselling author Johann Hari started to inject himself once a week with Ozempic, the diabetes drug that produces significant weight loss. He wasn’t alone—credible predictions suggest that in two years, a quarter of the U.S. population will be taking this class of drug. Proponents say that this is a biological solution to a biological problem. While 95 percent of diets fail, the average person taking one of the new drugs will lose a quarter of their body weight in six months, and keep it off for as long as they take it. Here is a moment of liberation from an illness that massively increases your chances of diabetes, dementia, and cancer, and causes 10 percent of all deaths. Still, Hari was wildly conflicted. The massive rise in obesity rates around the world in the last half century didn’t happen because something went wrong with human biology. It happened because something went disastrously wrong with our We began to eat food designed to be maximally addictive. We built cities that are impossible to walk or bike around. We became much more stressed, making us seek out more comfort snacks. From this perspective, the new weight loss drugs arrive at a moment of madness. We built a food system that poisons us, then decided en masse to inject ourselves with a different potential poison that puts us off all food.A personal journey through weight loss combined with scientific evidence from experts, Magic Pill explores, as only Hari can, questions How did we get to this point? What does it reveal about our society that we couldn’t solve this problem socially, and instead turned to potentially risky pharmaceutical solutions? And will this free us from social pressure to conform to an ideal body type—or make that pressure even more dangerously intense?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 2024
About the author
Johann Hari
16 books2,628 followersJohann Hari is an award-winning British journalist and playwright. He was a columnist for The Independent and the Huffington Post, and has won awards for his war reporting. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, The Nation, Le Monde, El Mundo, the Melbourne Age, El Pais, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Irish Times, The Guardian, Ha'aretz, the Times Literary Supplement, Attitude (Britain's main gay magazine), the New Statesman and a wide range of other international newspapers and magazines.
Hari describes himself as a "European social democrat", who believes that markets are "an essential tool to generate wealth" but must be matched by strong democratic governments and strong trade unions or they become "disastrous". He appears regularly as an arts critic on the BBC Two programme Newsnight Review, and he is a book critic for Slate. He has been named by the Daily Telegraph as one of the most influential people on the left in Britain, and by the Dutch magazine Winq as one of the twenty most influential gay people in the world.
After two scandals in 2011 involving plagiarism and malicious editing of Wikipedia pages, Hari was forced to return the prestigious Orwell prize he had won in 2008, and lost his position at The Independent.
Hari describes himself as a "European social democrat", who believes that markets are "an essential tool to generate wealth" but must be matched by strong democratic governments and strong trade unions or they become "disastrous". He appears regularly as an arts critic on the BBC Two programme Newsnight Review, and he is a book critic for Slate. He has been named by the Daily Telegraph as one of the most influential people on the left in Britain, and by the Dutch magazine Winq as one of the twenty most influential gay people in the world.
After two scandals in 2011 involving plagiarism and malicious editing of Wikipedia pages, Hari was forced to return the prestigious Orwell prize he had won in 2008, and lost his position at The Independent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
June 3, 2024
I’ve loved every single book this man produces, and this was no exception. In this he investigates a weight loss drug, using his investigative journalism skills sprinkled with personal anecdotes. He manages to ask the right questions without drawing bombastic conclusions, which I think is great. The last part was especially interesting, visiting Japan to look at their food culture.
May 13, 2024
This is a phenomenal book, and although some people aren’t fans of Johann’s work, I definitely am. I didn’t like his last book too much, but that’s mainly because I disagree with the social media doomerism. This book was amazing though. It’s about the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and I’ve been using them off and on for a little over a year now.
During an almost decade-long drug and alcohol addiction, I put on close to 200 lbs. I’ve been sober since 2012, and I’ve tried just about everything to get the weight off with no luck. These medications (I take Mounjaro) are the first thing to actually work for me. In this book, Hari takes an insanely deep look at these medications as well as the entire conversation around obesity.
I personally don’t think Johann is overweight, but he’s struggled with weight issues his whole life and started taking the meds. He shares his personal experience but also interviews a ton of doctors, scientists, and researchers about these medications. Throughout the book, he gives a balanced look at these medications and how they’re affecting us currently as well as what we need to think about in the future. Throughout the book, you also read about his internal struggles with the conversation about whether or not these drugs are good or bad.
I can’t think of one thing I wish he would have covered in this book because he discusses it all. He talks about the medication, the potential risks, fatphobia, how it can affect people with eating disorders, the truth and myths about health and fatness, and so much more.
Even if you’re not considering taking these medications, I think this book is a must-read because it’s having such a huge impact on the world. Not only that, but Hari explores so many other important topics around obesity, and these are extremely important.
During an almost decade-long drug and alcohol addiction, I put on close to 200 lbs. I’ve been sober since 2012, and I’ve tried just about everything to get the weight off with no luck. These medications (I take Mounjaro) are the first thing to actually work for me. In this book, Hari takes an insanely deep look at these medications as well as the entire conversation around obesity.
I personally don’t think Johann is overweight, but he’s struggled with weight issues his whole life and started taking the meds. He shares his personal experience but also interviews a ton of doctors, scientists, and researchers about these medications. Throughout the book, he gives a balanced look at these medications and how they’re affecting us currently as well as what we need to think about in the future. Throughout the book, you also read about his internal struggles with the conversation about whether or not these drugs are good or bad.
I can’t think of one thing I wish he would have covered in this book because he discusses it all. He talks about the medication, the potential risks, fatphobia, how it can affect people with eating disorders, the truth and myths about health and fatness, and so much more.
Even if you’re not considering taking these medications, I think this book is a must-read because it’s having such a huge impact on the world. Not only that, but Hari explores so many other important topics around obesity, and these are extremely important.
July 10, 2024
Incredibly good writing that explores the nuances in all the conversations that society is determined not to have about this medication, fatness, and access to food. Each topic is interwoven into a compellingly compassionate explorations of the pros and cons of the medication. This is one of the few things that have talked about this medication in a productive and helpful way.
I hear complaints about this not being unbiased, but that’s simply not a real thing anyone should either believe in or expect
I hear complaints about this not being unbiased, but that’s simply not a real thing anyone should either believe in or expect
March 6, 2024
3.5 Stars
Not exactly what I was expecting, although this book does explore Ozempic, it’s benefits, it’s risks and side effects, and the cultural contexts and concerns about it, it also goes further and explores our society’s complicated relationships to food and fatness. It pulls a lot of research and interviews into its pages, to give you a lot of information and context. The book also explore’s Hari’s own personal experiences, which include his relationship to food, and his experiences taking Ozempic. Although jt felt like Hari did a lot of research, and attempted to explore many different sides, his reflection didn’t always ring authentic (to me) - there were times where it felt like we *almost* got to the root of something, but didn’t actually ask the right questions. There were other times where (in the writing) it seemed that Hari had already come to the conclusion he wanted, and the research did
seem to cater to it. There was also a bit of a defensiveness that occasionally showed up, which did surprise me - but I guess it’s very human, and not exactly a flaw for the book, just unexpected.
Overall, I did learn a lot from this book - it pulls together a lot of research on weight loss, from the effects of diet and exercise, to the effectiveness of different methods of weight loss. There was a lot of information about Ozempic research too, with a few caveats about potential for harm and potential side effects, as well as potential unknowns. I appreciated the context and the indictments of the food industry and food culture that has shaped most of our modern society. This book is challenging and informative, and a great conversation starter. I look forward to hearing what other people thought about it.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from my publisher, in exchange for my honest feedback.
Not exactly what I was expecting, although this book does explore Ozempic, it’s benefits, it’s risks and side effects, and the cultural contexts and concerns about it, it also goes further and explores our society’s complicated relationships to food and fatness. It pulls a lot of research and interviews into its pages, to give you a lot of information and context. The book also explore’s Hari’s own personal experiences, which include his relationship to food, and his experiences taking Ozempic. Although jt felt like Hari did a lot of research, and attempted to explore many different sides, his reflection didn’t always ring authentic (to me) - there were times where it felt like we *almost* got to the root of something, but didn’t actually ask the right questions. There were other times where (in the writing) it seemed that Hari had already come to the conclusion he wanted, and the research did
seem to cater to it. There was also a bit of a defensiveness that occasionally showed up, which did surprise me - but I guess it’s very human, and not exactly a flaw for the book, just unexpected.
Overall, I did learn a lot from this book - it pulls together a lot of research on weight loss, from the effects of diet and exercise, to the effectiveness of different methods of weight loss. There was a lot of information about Ozempic research too, with a few caveats about potential for harm and potential side effects, as well as potential unknowns. I appreciated the context and the indictments of the food industry and food culture that has shaped most of our modern society. This book is challenging and informative, and a great conversation starter. I look forward to hearing what other people thought about it.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from my publisher, in exchange for my honest feedback.
May 27, 2024
In delving into Johann Hari's "Magic Pill," I find myself grappling with conflicting sentiments. As an advocate of Intuitive Eating and a proponent of the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement, I recognize the potential benefits of drugs like Ozempic in managing serious health conditions such as diabetes. However, Hari's exploration of these medications and their implications left me with a myriad of concerns.
One of the book's primary merits lies in its ability to shed light on the societal shift towards pharmaceutical solutions for weight loss. Hari adeptly navigates his personal journey with Ozempic, offering readers a firsthand account of its effects. Yet, the book's structure left much to be desired. Hari initially emphasizes the health risks associated with obesity without sufficiently addressing the complex interplay between causation and correlation, nor the limitations of using BMI as a metric for health. By relegating these critical discussions to the latter part of the book, Hari fails to equip readers with the necessary context to evaluate the research presented.
Moreover, Hari's vested interest in the subject matter, being a user of Ozempic himself, inevitably colors his narrative. While his journalistic approach aims for objectivity, his personal stake in the matter raises questions about bias. A pivotal moment in the book occurs when Hari's friend challenges his motives, suggesting that his pursuit of weight loss may be driven more by vanity than health—an argument that resonates deeply.
While Hari rightfully critiques the shortcomings of our food system, he neglects to address other societal factors contributing to the obesity epidemic, such as stress, lack of access to mental health resources, and the pervasive culture of hustle. Additionally, his portrayal of the HAES movement feels somewhat one-sided, cherry-picking extreme examples and failing to acknowledge its nuanced principles of self-acceptance and holistic well-being.
Furthermore, Hari's discussion of the risks associated with Ozempic overlooks crucial considerations, including the potential for disordered eating and the parallels between its usage and treating eating disorder patients. The book falls short in highlighting these significant concerns, leaving readers with an incomplete understanding of the potential ramifications of widespread drug usage.
"Magic Pill" offers valuable insights into the complexities of weight loss and the societal pressures surrounding body image. However, its narrative shortcomings and lack of comprehensive analysis detract from its overall impact. While pharmaceutical interventions may provide short-term solutions for some, the long-term implications remain uncertain, warranting a more nuanced examination of alternative approaches to health and well-being.
One of the book's primary merits lies in its ability to shed light on the societal shift towards pharmaceutical solutions for weight loss. Hari adeptly navigates his personal journey with Ozempic, offering readers a firsthand account of its effects. Yet, the book's structure left much to be desired. Hari initially emphasizes the health risks associated with obesity without sufficiently addressing the complex interplay between causation and correlation, nor the limitations of using BMI as a metric for health. By relegating these critical discussions to the latter part of the book, Hari fails to equip readers with the necessary context to evaluate the research presented.
Moreover, Hari's vested interest in the subject matter, being a user of Ozempic himself, inevitably colors his narrative. While his journalistic approach aims for objectivity, his personal stake in the matter raises questions about bias. A pivotal moment in the book occurs when Hari's friend challenges his motives, suggesting that his pursuit of weight loss may be driven more by vanity than health—an argument that resonates deeply.
While Hari rightfully critiques the shortcomings of our food system, he neglects to address other societal factors contributing to the obesity epidemic, such as stress, lack of access to mental health resources, and the pervasive culture of hustle. Additionally, his portrayal of the HAES movement feels somewhat one-sided, cherry-picking extreme examples and failing to acknowledge its nuanced principles of self-acceptance and holistic well-being.
Furthermore, Hari's discussion of the risks associated with Ozempic overlooks crucial considerations, including the potential for disordered eating and the parallels between its usage and treating eating disorder patients. The book falls short in highlighting these significant concerns, leaving readers with an incomplete understanding of the potential ramifications of widespread drug usage.
"Magic Pill" offers valuable insights into the complexities of weight loss and the societal pressures surrounding body image. However, its narrative shortcomings and lack of comprehensive analysis detract from its overall impact. While pharmaceutical interventions may provide short-term solutions for some, the long-term implications remain uncertain, warranting a more nuanced examination of alternative approaches to health and well-being.
May 18, 2024
Quite good.
Hari writes well and clearly. Does a wonderful job of anticipating the logical thought process of the reader and shepherding them along without dragging. There’s a good balance of personal and scientific. And I was impressed by the level of self criticism the author is willing to partake in.
At a high-level, the author examines Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs. Taking us through a survey of current research and trying to contextualize why they’ve been so popular. It’s a little frustrating at times because the answer for a lot of this stuff is like “we don’t know” and while that’s intellectually honest it’s also annoying. Not a fault of the author and I think some of that detriment is picked up and compensated for by his own experiences with the drugs.
I think that sometimes that crossover gave me pause as to the impartiality, but the author also does a great job contextualizing sources as being “researchers at Novo” “general academics” and the like.
I’m not sure there’s any sort of like investigative journalism done here that you couldn’t get through other sources, i’ve read most of the diet stuff other places, but as with other books by this author, I thought his perspective and pace were really enjoyable.
Hari writes well and clearly. Does a wonderful job of anticipating the logical thought process of the reader and shepherding them along without dragging. There’s a good balance of personal and scientific. And I was impressed by the level of self criticism the author is willing to partake in.
At a high-level, the author examines Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs. Taking us through a survey of current research and trying to contextualize why they’ve been so popular. It’s a little frustrating at times because the answer for a lot of this stuff is like “we don’t know” and while that’s intellectually honest it’s also annoying. Not a fault of the author and I think some of that detriment is picked up and compensated for by his own experiences with the drugs.
I think that sometimes that crossover gave me pause as to the impartiality, but the author also does a great job contextualizing sources as being “researchers at Novo” “general academics” and the like.
I’m not sure there’s any sort of like investigative journalism done here that you couldn’t get through other sources, i’ve read most of the diet stuff other places, but as with other books by this author, I thought his perspective and pace were really enjoyable.
July 4, 2024
This was a thought-provoking read! Recently it seems that Ozempic™ is everywhere. I see the advertisements for it on TV (and for its partner drug Wegovy™); it is being debated on podcasts; and there are memes about it. Magic Pill by Johann Hari is an in-depth and heartfelt analysis of the pros and cons of the weight loss wonder drug - written from a very personal perspective since Hari has struggled with his weight all his life and is currently taking the drug himself.
I feel Hari is an ideal writer to address the topic, given its sensitivity. He delves into the science behind the obesity epidemic and society's cultural fixation on body size, the pitfalls of prior treatments for weight loss, and the societal movement to accept bodies of all sizes. There is no shame in these pages. There is only a questioning of the medical establishment, of society, of big pharma, of the food service business and of himself. It will cause you to be angry at the way in which we have allowed the greed of big business to prioritize profits over our health and the environment.
Hari doesn't try to predict the future or to offer a neat solution. He does however pose questions for us to consider, both individually and collectively, and offers an alternative way of living and eating for the reader to consider. I feel I have learned so much from this well-written book and it is leading me to rethink my approach to food.
I feel Hari is an ideal writer to address the topic, given its sensitivity. He delves into the science behind the obesity epidemic and society's cultural fixation on body size, the pitfalls of prior treatments for weight loss, and the societal movement to accept bodies of all sizes. There is no shame in these pages. There is only a questioning of the medical establishment, of society, of big pharma, of the food service business and of himself. It will cause you to be angry at the way in which we have allowed the greed of big business to prioritize profits over our health and the environment.
Hari doesn't try to predict the future or to offer a neat solution. He does however pose questions for us to consider, both individually and collectively, and offers an alternative way of living and eating for the reader to consider. I feel I have learned so much from this well-written book and it is leading me to rethink my approach to food.
May 23, 2024
My curiosity was piqued when I saw The Magic Pill. A relative wound up in the hospital for two weeks last year after injecting one of the new weight-loss drugs. (To be fair, his reaction seems to be unusual. He became so dehydrated that it affected brain function. He recovered several months after stopping the drug.) Johann Hari presents a balanced view of these medications and ponders at their place in the future. With obesity being a global problem, will these drugs be a way of life? Hari himself takes Ozempic, and relates his experiences. My favorite part of the book, near the end, looks at the low rates of obesity in Japan. That chapter reminded me of the Blue Zones books by Dan Buettner. The discussion of nutrition education for children in school to the continuing active lifestyle of a 102-year old woman impressed me.
I feel I would be remiss to leave out that I saw in a review from "Pete" on Goodreads a recommendation to read the Wikipedia page of Johann Hari. It reveals some concerning episodes of plagiarism and false reporting. While I found this book to be interesting and informative, the particulars of Hari's past will leave me wondering about the accuracy of his writing.
I feel I would be remiss to leave out that I saw in a review from "Pete" on Goodreads a recommendation to read the Wikipedia page of Johann Hari. It reveals some concerning episodes of plagiarism and false reporting. While I found this book to be interesting and informative, the particulars of Hari's past will leave me wondering about the accuracy of his writing.
May 16, 2024
Having known nothing about Ozempic prior to reading, this was a great way to get myself up to speed. Hari employs his usual blend of personal anecdotes, scientific research, and wider cultural/societal issues to create an engaging, informative narrative. I learned enough to form my own opinion about GLP-1 agonists and other weight loss drugs. The next time Ozempic comes up in conversation, I’ll be well-equipped to be utterly insufferable and remind everyone that I do in fact read. That’s really what it’s all about.
February 27, 2024
Think this is about how Ozempic developed? Think again.
Hari turns the story of one little magic pill into a magical, captivating journey through his own life; the morals we balance; and the broken food culture of the West.
Hari turns the story of one little magic pill into a magical, captivating journey through his own life; the morals we balance; and the broken food culture of the West.
June 9, 2024
The author does, as always, blend his personal story with hard science in an informative and moving way. Having gained a lot of weight, he started injecting himself with ozempic. It’s actually a drug for diabetics, but unless you have been living under a rock lately, you will have heated that it also works miracles on weight. Even in Norway, medical doctors are now prescribing it for the severely obese.
The author delves into the science of obesity and nutrition, along with the known risks of the drug. Plus all the effects we might not know of yet. I agree with him when he says we have an artificial way of solving an artificial problem. If it wasn’t for the obesity epidemic caused by the unregulated, pernicious and greedy food industry, we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic. If you find my pointing fingers drastic, it is still true. Every country where ultra processed foods have been introduced and large scale adopted, have had a population go from lean to overweight.
The problem is complicated by biology. Your body will strive to go back to its highest set point. I know that. During the past three decades, my weight has oscillated between 50 and 75 kg, often but not always, in five year cycles. I can successfully lose weight and keep it off for a year or two, before it accumulates again. The process of regaining is much slower than losing it. During the last loss cycle in 2018, I lost 20 kg in 6 months- most of it in just six weeks. How? I started running. I haven’t stopped, but I like to eat. Earlier this year I stopped eating most ultra processed food and even learned to cook sauce. The quality of my culinary life has increased significantly, and my weight has continued to creep up. I still have ten kilos to go to my highest set point, but rather than resign to this, I am ramping up training instead. I will say this though: eating real food cooked from scratch fills me up very quickly. I can eat an entire frozen pizza on my own, but only two small slices of my own from scratch.
Of course, even at my heaviest, I am barely overweight, much less obese.
The poor author didn’t even know how to cook fresh food. He learned, but it’s still sad. Cooking is a skill that requires years of practice and refinement.
I don’t know what to think after this book. Ozempic and other weight loss drugs are really for diabetics and there are often shortages. We don’t know the long term risks of the drugs. We know the risks of being overweight and all the health problems brought along with it. Still, stigma and finger pointing does no good. The problem is the food industry and biology, not just lifestyle and poor choices.
The author delves into the science of obesity and nutrition, along with the known risks of the drug. Plus all the effects we might not know of yet. I agree with him when he says we have an artificial way of solving an artificial problem. If it wasn’t for the obesity epidemic caused by the unregulated, pernicious and greedy food industry, we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic. If you find my pointing fingers drastic, it is still true. Every country where ultra processed foods have been introduced and large scale adopted, have had a population go from lean to overweight.
The problem is complicated by biology. Your body will strive to go back to its highest set point. I know that. During the past three decades, my weight has oscillated between 50 and 75 kg, often but not always, in five year cycles. I can successfully lose weight and keep it off for a year or two, before it accumulates again. The process of regaining is much slower than losing it. During the last loss cycle in 2018, I lost 20 kg in 6 months- most of it in just six weeks. How? I started running. I haven’t stopped, but I like to eat. Earlier this year I stopped eating most ultra processed food and even learned to cook sauce. The quality of my culinary life has increased significantly, and my weight has continued to creep up. I still have ten kilos to go to my highest set point, but rather than resign to this, I am ramping up training instead. I will say this though: eating real food cooked from scratch fills me up very quickly. I can eat an entire frozen pizza on my own, but only two small slices of my own from scratch.
Of course, even at my heaviest, I am barely overweight, much less obese.
The poor author didn’t even know how to cook fresh food. He learned, but it’s still sad. Cooking is a skill that requires years of practice and refinement.
I don’t know what to think after this book. Ozempic and other weight loss drugs are really for diabetics and there are often shortages. We don’t know the long term risks of the drugs. We know the risks of being overweight and all the health problems brought along with it. Still, stigma and finger pointing does no good. The problem is the food industry and biology, not just lifestyle and poor choices.
May 7, 2024
Thank you to LibroFM for the advanced listening copy of this book.
I'm so excited by this book by Johann Hari, it's the only book you'll ever need to read on eating habits and obesity.
The author has had an unhealthy relationship with food all his life. As a child he had a Swiss father who believed in home made, home grown food and used bullying to try to get his son to eat healthily; meanwhile his Glaswegian mother fully embraced the quick and cheap, fast food alternatives.
When the author discovered the new weight-loss drug Ozempic he wondered if this could be the answer to his over-eating issues and certainly, to begin with, the drug, which is simple to take, suppressed his appetite and he lost weight. However, as you'll discover reading the book, at what cost?
Johann Hari puts questions to scientists around the world to gather as much information as possible around the subject of eating and obesity and serves it up in a very palatable form.
It is a completely fascinating, non-judgemental and balanced book and I can't recommend highly enough.
I'm so excited by this book by Johann Hari, it's the only book you'll ever need to read on eating habits and obesity.
The author has had an unhealthy relationship with food all his life. As a child he had a Swiss father who believed in home made, home grown food and used bullying to try to get his son to eat healthily; meanwhile his Glaswegian mother fully embraced the quick and cheap, fast food alternatives.
When the author discovered the new weight-loss drug Ozempic he wondered if this could be the answer to his over-eating issues and certainly, to begin with, the drug, which is simple to take, suppressed his appetite and he lost weight. However, as you'll discover reading the book, at what cost?
Johann Hari puts questions to scientists around the world to gather as much information as possible around the subject of eating and obesity and serves it up in a very palatable form.
It is a completely fascinating, non-judgemental and balanced book and I can't recommend highly enough.
May 21, 2024
Fairly balanced and well-researched, with Hari’s amazing ability to explain things and work in his self-deprecating humor. I love reading his work. I fear the concerns about impacts on eating disorders and the resurgence of the grotesquely thin ideal were less substantial than I would like, but that’s also largely my bias. Definitely helped me have more thoughtful discussions on this drug.
July 6, 2024
In Magic Pill, journalist and author Johann Hari, whose niche is exploring cultural zeitgeists from an experimental perspective (see Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention— and How to Think Deeply Again), takes aim at injectable GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro that have become immensely popular starting around 2022-2023 for weight loss. This class of drugs has been in clinical use for around ten years to treat diabetes, but after significant weight loss was noted in diabetic patients on these treatments, they've become mainstream, used by those who are of normal weight who have the means and connections and want to become thinner (many celebrities and influencers come to mind), and such in demand to the point where there's a black market for people to buy and sell these drugs (of dubious quality and identity).
In classic Hari fashion, Hari's entry into this topic was being prescribed Ozempic himself. He had gained weight during the pandemic and used Wegovy to go from a BMI of 32 (class I obesity, well below the BMI 40 threshold of morbid obesity) to 22 (normal weight). (While Hari is British, I should point out that as of March 2024, Wegovy is FDA-approved in people with BMI >30, or in BMI >27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, so Hari's use would be considered on-label in the US.) Hari spends several chapters weighing the pros and cons of his own Ozempic use - how he has lost weight but still doesn't eat healthily, how the side effects make him want to quit, how he is reminded of several family members and a close friend who passed away at young ages due to obesity complications, how he feels guilty being on Ozempic when others who need it more than him can't access it, and how his own vanity impacts his continued use of the drug now that he's reached a healthy weight.
Along the way, Hari explores why so many Western countries have developed staggering obesity rates since the 1980s (basically, ultra-processed food, though he doesn't directly reference Dr. Chris van Tulleken's Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food like I expected he would). He explores prior weight loss drugs that have risen and fallen in the past century, and touts GLP-1 agonists as the best thing since bariatric surgery for durable weight loss -- here, though, I think he should have used a more nuanced approach, since bariatric surgery includes reversible, minimally-invasive procedures like gastric lap banding and irreversible surgical procedures like gastric sleeve (where the stomach is surgically made significantly smaller) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (where the upper stomach is connected directly to the small intestine), as each type has its own risk and benefit profile. He also explores the body positivity movement that's, up until GLP-1 agonists exploded in popularity, removed some of the stigma of larger body weights, and he interviews Marilyn Wann, who pioneered a fat acceptance movement in the UK in the 1980s (Wann has since lost weight for health reasons, but not using GLP-1 agonists). The final part of the book narrates a trip he and his nephew took to Japan (maybe a way to spend the book advance? ;) ), one of the slimmest, healthiest nations in the world, to explore their food culture.
Overall, I think this is a thoughtful book on how GLP-1 agonists have changed the weight loss landscape in the last few years, but as Hari notes, time will tell what the long-term impacts of these drugs will be on society. As far as we know in 2024, these drugs are relatively safe (but long-term human data only goes back around 10 years), but need to be used for life to maintain weight loss, and certainly don't fix our broken food culture and poor food quality in the West.
Further reading:
Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food by Chris van Tulleken, MD
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
The Way We Eat Now: Strategies for Eating in a World of Change by Bee Wilson
First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Jason Fung (about intermittent fasting, another movement that's gained popularity in recent years)
Never Out of Season: How Having the Food We Want When We Want It Threatens Our Food Supply and Our Future by Rob Dunn
Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America by Michael Ruhlman (not on diet per se, but on the overall food supply chain in America)
The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson
In classic Hari fashion, Hari's entry into this topic was being prescribed Ozempic himself. He had gained weight during the pandemic and used Wegovy to go from a BMI of 32 (class I obesity, well below the BMI 40 threshold of morbid obesity) to 22 (normal weight). (While Hari is British, I should point out that as of March 2024, Wegovy is FDA-approved in people with BMI >30, or in BMI >27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, so Hari's use would be considered on-label in the US.) Hari spends several chapters weighing the pros and cons of his own Ozempic use - how he has lost weight but still doesn't eat healthily, how the side effects make him want to quit, how he is reminded of several family members and a close friend who passed away at young ages due to obesity complications, how he feels guilty being on Ozempic when others who need it more than him can't access it, and how his own vanity impacts his continued use of the drug now that he's reached a healthy weight.
Along the way, Hari explores why so many Western countries have developed staggering obesity rates since the 1980s (basically, ultra-processed food, though he doesn't directly reference Dr. Chris van Tulleken's Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food like I expected he would). He explores prior weight loss drugs that have risen and fallen in the past century, and touts GLP-1 agonists as the best thing since bariatric surgery for durable weight loss -- here, though, I think he should have used a more nuanced approach, since bariatric surgery includes reversible, minimally-invasive procedures like gastric lap banding and irreversible surgical procedures like gastric sleeve (where the stomach is surgically made significantly smaller) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (where the upper stomach is connected directly to the small intestine), as each type has its own risk and benefit profile. He also explores the body positivity movement that's, up until GLP-1 agonists exploded in popularity, removed some of the stigma of larger body weights, and he interviews Marilyn Wann, who pioneered a fat acceptance movement in the UK in the 1980s (Wann has since lost weight for health reasons, but not using GLP-1 agonists). The final part of the book narrates a trip he and his nephew took to Japan (maybe a way to spend the book advance? ;) ), one of the slimmest, healthiest nations in the world, to explore their food culture.
Overall, I think this is a thoughtful book on how GLP-1 agonists have changed the weight loss landscape in the last few years, but as Hari notes, time will tell what the long-term impacts of these drugs will be on society. As far as we know in 2024, these drugs are relatively safe (but long-term human data only goes back around 10 years), but need to be used for life to maintain weight loss, and certainly don't fix our broken food culture and poor food quality in the West.
Further reading:
Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food by Chris van Tulleken, MD
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
The Way We Eat Now: Strategies for Eating in a World of Change by Bee Wilson
First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Jason Fung (about intermittent fasting, another movement that's gained popularity in recent years)
Never Out of Season: How Having the Food We Want When We Want It Threatens Our Food Supply and Our Future by Rob Dunn
Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America by Michael Ruhlman (not on diet per se, but on the overall food supply chain in America)
The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson
June 11, 2024
Malo je tema oko kojih se u hitnoj svađamo toliko koliko o gojaznosti. Ok, lažem, možemo se posvađati oko bilo čega. Ali dobar deo šefova (dobrostojeći, dobrodržeći pedesetogodišnjaci) se nalazi pozvanim da prevrće očima na bolesti koje su pogoršane ili prouzrokovane gojaznošću. "Zar je toliko teško jesti ispravno i baviti se sportom?" Ok bumeru, to što ti imaš sredstava i vremena da se posvetiš održavanju svog apolonskog lika, ne znači da isto možeš i očekivati od svog pacijenta koji može imati socijalnih i psihičkih poteškoća o kojima pojma nemaš. A sa druge strane, treba li računati na lekara opšte prakse da podstakne svog pacijenta na brigu o sebi?
Jer, to niko neće uraditi umesto nas samih. Gojaznost je vezana za razvijanje dijabetesa tipa 2, povišen krvni pritisak, kardio-vaskularne probleme, dakle razvijanje metaboličkog sindroma, pogoršanje artroze, demenciju, problema sa plodnošću i šta sve ne. Na smanjenje kvaliteta i dužine života. Toliko (valjda) dugujemo sebi.
Ali zašto je to TOLIKO teško? Stres, manjak vremena, obilje niskokvalitetne, visokoprerađene hrane, skrivene traume i emocionalno prejedanje? Tiha pandemija, kompleksni zdravstveni, ekonomski, agronomski, socijalni, politički i ekološki (zbog povećanja mase prosečnog putnika, avioni troše neuporedivo više goriva nego ranije) fenomen, kome se za sada nije video kraj... Do pojave Ozempika, analoga ljudskog GLP1 hormona (jednog od dva inkretina, koji se luči u crevima), koji podstiče lučenje insulina, snižava lučenje glukagona i uzrokuje osećaj sitosti. Korišćen u lečenju dijabetesa, a od pre nekoliko godina i za gojaznost.
Da li je to rešenje? Da li imamo dovoljno vremenskog odmaka da bismo mogli da tvrdimo da je taj molekul bezbedan? Koje zdravstvene rizike on nosi? Da li postoji alternativa?
Za one koje tema zanima, a mrzi ih da čitaju, cela ova knjiga je odlično rezimirana u podkastu Džej Šetija i autora, Johana Harija: https://youtu.be/jQej92CAzBY?feature=... (knjiga ne donosi nikakve nove informacije u odnosu na podkast).
Ok, obojica su muljatori, sad za Džej Šetija ne znam tačno šta je lagao (nešto jeste, mrzi me da guglam) ali u ovom podkastu je i više nego solidan voditelj, a Johan Hari jeste na početku karijere bio optužen za plagijarizam (voli čovek neprecizno da citira, pa to ti je) ali mi je ljubimac, volim njegov stil pisanja, istraživanja, razgovore sa ljudima. Takođe, iznosi dosta iskustva iz prve ruke kao korisnik Ozempika. Solidna knjiga.
Jer, to niko neće uraditi umesto nas samih. Gojaznost je vezana za razvijanje dijabetesa tipa 2, povišen krvni pritisak, kardio-vaskularne probleme, dakle razvijanje metaboličkog sindroma, pogoršanje artroze, demenciju, problema sa plodnošću i šta sve ne. Na smanjenje kvaliteta i dužine života. Toliko (valjda) dugujemo sebi.
Ali zašto je to TOLIKO teško? Stres, manjak vremena, obilje niskokvalitetne, visokoprerađene hrane, skrivene traume i emocionalno prejedanje? Tiha pandemija, kompleksni zdravstveni, ekonomski, agronomski, socijalni, politički i ekološki (zbog povećanja mase prosečnog putnika, avioni troše neuporedivo više goriva nego ranije) fenomen, kome se za sada nije video kraj... Do pojave Ozempika, analoga ljudskog GLP1 hormona (jednog od dva inkretina, koji se luči u crevima), koji podstiče lučenje insulina, snižava lučenje glukagona i uzrokuje osećaj sitosti. Korišćen u lečenju dijabetesa, a od pre nekoliko godina i za gojaznost.
Da li je to rešenje? Da li imamo dovoljno vremenskog odmaka da bismo mogli da tvrdimo da je taj molekul bezbedan? Koje zdravstvene rizike on nosi? Da li postoji alternativa?
Za one koje tema zanima, a mrzi ih da čitaju, cela ova knjiga je odlično rezimirana u podkastu Džej Šetija i autora, Johana Harija: https://youtu.be/jQej92CAzBY?feature=... (knjiga ne donosi nikakve nove informacije u odnosu na podkast).
Ok, obojica su muljatori, sad za Džej Šetija ne znam tačno šta je lagao (nešto jeste, mrzi me da guglam) ali u ovom podkastu je i više nego solidan voditelj, a Johan Hari jeste na početku karijere bio optužen za plagijarizam (voli čovek neprecizno da citira, pa to ti je) ali mi je ljubimac, volim njegov stil pisanja, istraživanja, razgovore sa ljudima. Takođe, iznosi dosta iskustva iz prve ruke kao korisnik Ozempika. Solidna knjiga.
June 1, 2024
I don't know why this book grated on me so much, but I felt so angry while I was reading it. Listening to the author use words like "gorge," "oily," "greasy," and others in relation to his experience, not to mention the litany of foods he ate all the time, even while taking the drug, made me so relieved when his friend Lara finally called him out: this is not really about health! At the end of the day, there is a small subset of people who urgently need help with obesity and should get that help with the care of their doctors. For most of us, not liking our bodies shouldn't be the reason we go on a drug. Why don't we focus on exercise, weaning ourselves off the processed crap, and accept our bodies for what they are at that point? I don't believe Hari really talked about this option or convinced me that a higher BMI automatically means you're doomed. He put forth a good effort to present lots of different sides to the argument (although reading about his many ethical breaches as a journalist, I'm not sure how much I trust his research), but I was frustrated by his final analysis, because I wound up with a very different conclusion.
May 17, 2024
Magic Pill : The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs (2024) by Johann Hari examines Ozempic, Semaglutide and how people in most developed countries have become dramatically more overweight and obese over the last forty years. For anyone interested in GLP-1 drugs this book is definitely worth reading.
For anyone curious about the book but unsure of whether they want to read it there is a good interview with Hari on Andrew Sullivan’s podcast.
Hari is an excellent writer and combines his own personal story and the stories of people around him with an exposition about the harm that obesity does and how we eat. Hari has made some really bad mistakes, it’s worth reading his Wikipedia page to find out why some people really don’t like him. However, his skill as a writer should not be ignored.
The book starts with Hari talking about how his Swiss father hated the way his Scottish mother fed him and how he sought comfort in food. Hari eats remarkably badly at the start of the book. He then goes onto Ozempic and it works. It also has side effects that he discusses.
The book also describes the impact that being obese has had on a number of Hari’s friends and also on people that he has interviewed. This is also very interesting and Hari writes with compassion because he too, like most of us, has been overweight and at times obese. He mixes this with descriptions of the medical impact of obesity on people as well.
The book concludes that many people really need to really think about what they are eating and improve their diet. This especially applies to Hari who by the end of the book seems to have had something of a religious conversion.
Magic Pill is a very good book. It sags a bit in the middle with too much introspection by Hari but it’s still a fine read. The book is well written and very topical.
For anyone curious about the book but unsure of whether they want to read it there is a good interview with Hari on Andrew Sullivan’s podcast.
Hari is an excellent writer and combines his own personal story and the stories of people around him with an exposition about the harm that obesity does and how we eat. Hari has made some really bad mistakes, it’s worth reading his Wikipedia page to find out why some people really don’t like him. However, his skill as a writer should not be ignored.
The book starts with Hari talking about how his Swiss father hated the way his Scottish mother fed him and how he sought comfort in food. Hari eats remarkably badly at the start of the book. He then goes onto Ozempic and it works. It also has side effects that he discusses.
The book also describes the impact that being obese has had on a number of Hari’s friends and also on people that he has interviewed. This is also very interesting and Hari writes with compassion because he too, like most of us, has been overweight and at times obese. He mixes this with descriptions of the medical impact of obesity on people as well.
The book concludes that many people really need to really think about what they are eating and improve their diet. This especially applies to Hari who by the end of the book seems to have had something of a religious conversion.
Magic Pill is a very good book. It sags a bit in the middle with too much introspection by Hari but it’s still a fine read. The book is well written and very topical.
June 30, 2024
(3.5)The author was interviewed by Bari Weiss and I liked his cheeky, yet practical manner…
An excellent resource on ozempic from a substantive point and from the vantage of entertainment.
The author’s own journey is thoughtful and funny and the other stories he brings into the narrative are moving. He lays out all the facts and examines the pluses and minuses…
Additionally, he does a strong job of detailing the emergence of processed food and points a sharp finger at these manufactured items as a root cause of American obesity…my only disagreement is when he touts Japan as a model. Japan is a massively homogeneous society and the US with its heterogeneous mix and heterodox creed would never allow for the rules that japan imposes on its much more willing citizenry…finally, his knee jerk reference to using the govt to solve these ills is just a old recipe for failure…
An excellent resource on ozempic from a substantive point and from the vantage of entertainment.
The author’s own journey is thoughtful and funny and the other stories he brings into the narrative are moving. He lays out all the facts and examines the pluses and minuses…
Additionally, he does a strong job of detailing the emergence of processed food and points a sharp finger at these manufactured items as a root cause of American obesity…my only disagreement is when he touts Japan as a model. Japan is a massively homogeneous society and the US with its heterogeneous mix and heterodox creed would never allow for the rules that japan imposes on its much more willing citizenry…finally, his knee jerk reference to using the govt to solve these ills is just a old recipe for failure…
June 7, 2024
The way Johann Hari is able to write about complex societal issues in such an entertaining way is insane! I read it in a day.
This book is not just about Ozempic, it is about our food system, the problems with dieting, the role food plays in peoples lives, stigma around weight and possible alternatives to using a chemical drug for solving problems that were caused by chemical food.
This book is not just about Ozempic, it is about our food system, the problems with dieting, the role food plays in peoples lives, stigma around weight and possible alternatives to using a chemical drug for solving problems that were caused by chemical food.
May 11, 2024
The 15% of the book about the drugs is interesting, if thinly researched. The 85% of the book that is about the author is drivel.
Looking forward to a journalist writing on this topic.
The rash of millennial authors co-opting current events to smuggle out their diaries to the public in general continues.
Looking forward to a journalist writing on this topic.
The rash of millennial authors co-opting current events to smuggle out their diaries to the public in general continues.
March 19, 2024
I had read Johann Hari's previous book, Stolen Focus, so I was intrigued to read this one. He is a journalist, so this book is not a full medical treatment of obesity or weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic. Instead, it is his memoir of personally taking Ozempic for weight loss, as well as a look at the obesity epidemic and other ways to treat it. According to Hard, food-caused illnesses are estimated to be the leading cause of death, when you consider that heart disease, cancer and dementia all have a strong diet and lifestyle component. Over 42% of adults in the US are now obese, so it is incumbent on us to figure out why this happened and how to cure it. Hari looks at much of this in the book.
He looks at how Ozempic and related drugs works, as well as its benefits and side effects. Unfortunately no one knows that long term side effects of taking these drugs and once started, they usually need to be taken for life or else the weight returns. Hari suggests, and I agree, that we need to radically change the foods we eat. Our diet needs to consist of substantially more whole foods and very few processed foods. One chapter looks at the Japanese food and health culture. Japanese people have the longest life span of anyone on earth, and they remain healthier longer with many fewer heart attacks and cancers. Their society has many factors that help them reduce obesity and improve health. Unfortunately it may be difficult for the US to implement many of these changes because the processed food industry has a huge influence over both government and media.
The pharmaceutical industry also holds a huge sway over both government and media. They have a financial interest in keeping people sick and tied to medications for a lifetime. As a nutritionist I do not recommend that people use weight-loss drugs until they have exhausted the diet and exercise means available to them. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in health and nutrition.
I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGally.
He looks at how Ozempic and related drugs works, as well as its benefits and side effects. Unfortunately no one knows that long term side effects of taking these drugs and once started, they usually need to be taken for life or else the weight returns. Hari suggests, and I agree, that we need to radically change the foods we eat. Our diet needs to consist of substantially more whole foods and very few processed foods. One chapter looks at the Japanese food and health culture. Japanese people have the longest life span of anyone on earth, and they remain healthier longer with many fewer heart attacks and cancers. Their society has many factors that help them reduce obesity and improve health. Unfortunately it may be difficult for the US to implement many of these changes because the processed food industry has a huge influence over both government and media.
The pharmaceutical industry also holds a huge sway over both government and media. They have a financial interest in keeping people sick and tied to medications for a lifetime. As a nutritionist I do not recommend that people use weight-loss drugs until they have exhausted the diet and exercise means available to them. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in health and nutrition.
I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGally.
May 14, 2024
It was fine. His personal experience was interesting and some of the studies were interesting, but he is not an expert in the subject. I was hoping it would be better based off of the other reviews. I did see a mistake in one of the sections where they stated that people lose 8 percent muscle mass every year after 30. It should be over each decade.
June 1, 2024
It’s only lately that I’ve heard about Ozempic being the holy grail of dieting: when taken, it will suppress a person’s appetite to the point that it will induce satiety and lead to you eating less and losing weight. Ozempic has initially been used to treat diabetics, but it seems there has been a trend of rich people (namely Hollywood and likely the 1%) taking it to lose weight.
In "Magic Pill", Hari unravels the story behind the rise of Ozempic and how it came to be used in people's diets instead of for medication reasons. He reaches out to the manufacturers of the pills and other health experts for their commentaries on the trend, and the fact that there were numerous times when the manufacturers declined to comment on the drawbacks of these pills was disturbing. (It would be funny if it weren't so nefarious, given what we know about the pharmacy industry and their manipulations of regulators and benign advertisements; see Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty.)
Along with his investigation into these pills, Hari also relates people's reliance on such pills to the fact that we had begun as hunter-gatherers and have somehow evolved to a species that eats more than they should due to the plentiful of unhealthy choices offered in the modern world, all to our detriment. It is the irony of the century that the richer you are, the less you are likely to eat because it seems like the 1% knows that whatever we consume these days tends to lead to health issues in the long run.
Having had some traumatic past himself, Hari talks about his experience with overeating and what led him to take Ozempic and his reliance on it and other diet fads. Some of his views on these may try to give his side of the story of why he took the pills, though it comes across as excusing his actions despite knowing the risks because the alternative is being tougher on his self-control. This is probably one of the biggest drawbacks of the book, though even that doesn't take away from the message that ultimately, there is no magic pill to solve all of our health issues. We should focus on how we can nourish our bodies with unprocessed food, how to eat and exercise, and do everything in moderation; another irony of this century is that we need to be taught how to eat.
It feels like the more I read contemporary nonfiction these days, the more I can relate the lessons to our Prophet SAW and his sunnah (fact: that some dietitian 'discovered' that chewing your food 40 times helps with our dietary needs was funny because the West thinks they discover everything; and don't even get me started on the whole intermittent fasting fad). For that, this does make a revelatory read, even if the author's opinions may sometimes detract from the message he is trying to send.
Thank you to Definitely Books & the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion!
In "Magic Pill", Hari unravels the story behind the rise of Ozempic and how it came to be used in people's diets instead of for medication reasons. He reaches out to the manufacturers of the pills and other health experts for their commentaries on the trend, and the fact that there were numerous times when the manufacturers declined to comment on the drawbacks of these pills was disturbing. (It would be funny if it weren't so nefarious, given what we know about the pharmacy industry and their manipulations of regulators and benign advertisements; see Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty.)
Along with his investigation into these pills, Hari also relates people's reliance on such pills to the fact that we had begun as hunter-gatherers and have somehow evolved to a species that eats more than they should due to the plentiful of unhealthy choices offered in the modern world, all to our detriment. It is the irony of the century that the richer you are, the less you are likely to eat because it seems like the 1% knows that whatever we consume these days tends to lead to health issues in the long run.
Having had some traumatic past himself, Hari talks about his experience with overeating and what led him to take Ozempic and his reliance on it and other diet fads. Some of his views on these may try to give his side of the story of why he took the pills, though it comes across as excusing his actions despite knowing the risks because the alternative is being tougher on his self-control. This is probably one of the biggest drawbacks of the book, though even that doesn't take away from the message that ultimately, there is no magic pill to solve all of our health issues. We should focus on how we can nourish our bodies with unprocessed food, how to eat and exercise, and do everything in moderation; another irony of this century is that we need to be taught how to eat.
It feels like the more I read contemporary nonfiction these days, the more I can relate the lessons to our Prophet SAW and his sunnah (fact: that some dietitian 'discovered' that chewing your food 40 times helps with our dietary needs was funny because the West thinks they discover everything; and don't even get me started on the whole intermittent fasting fad). For that, this does make a revelatory read, even if the author's opinions may sometimes detract from the message he is trying to send.
Thank you to Definitely Books & the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion!
July 11, 2024
When I first started hearing about Ozempic, I was totally against it. I saw it as a quick fix, a fad, “cheating”. Yes, I was a complete judgemental **** about it. Slowly, I started hearing more people’s stories who had taken it and suddenly I began to understand that my initial perception was inaccurate to say the least. I think Johann Hari did an exceptional job writing a nuanced, balanced, and well-researched book about such a hot topic. He really highlighted how people are set up to fail in numerous ways when trying to lose weight (we’ve evolved to hang on to fat in order to survive long droughts; our food is plentiful and yet the majority not nutritious; we have developed negative coping mechanisms for poor mental health and trauma; the list goes on). I love that he shared the risk v. benefit analysis that you really need to weigh if considering this treatment. While there are a lot of amazing results, there is always a cost. What cost is worth it? Which hard will you choose? He’s given me much to think about, helping me recognize my own biases, and a lot of empathy for the struggles so many are experiencing.
June 4, 2024
“Eli Lilly declined to comment.” lol, why you so quiet Eli?!
Excellent discussion about the obesity epidemic, past treatments, and current GLP1 use, tempered by varying points of view and narratives.
Non-fiction tool = 30/30 100%
1. Valuable life-lesson 5/5
How can we lead healthy lives and what contributes to our body weight?
2. Build vocabulary and language 5/5
Fat pride movement, ozempic face, relations to food, relation to one’s body
3. Real-world connections 5/5
Excellent historical context
4. Comprehension of increasingly complex concepts 5/5
Obesity is highly stigmatized and complex. Hari presents science in an accessible and uplifting way.
5. Supported self-study on topic 5/5
6. Increased curiosity 5/5
I was against ozempic akin to Chapter 10 Lara’s POV that it’s abused for superficial reasons, however, I agree with Hari’s conclusion that it should be used to treat people who need it while we implement societal root cause solutions as exemplified by Japan’s culture of eating or Iceland’s youth exercise program.
People deserve to live their best lives.
Emphasis on health, how to be healthy with the health benefits - not looks.
Excellent discussion about the obesity epidemic, past treatments, and current GLP1 use, tempered by varying points of view and narratives.
Non-fiction tool = 30/30 100%
1. Valuable life-lesson 5/5
How can we lead healthy lives and what contributes to our body weight?
2. Build vocabulary and language 5/5
Fat pride movement, ozempic face, relations to food, relation to one’s body
3. Real-world connections 5/5
Excellent historical context
4. Comprehension of increasingly complex concepts 5/5
Obesity is highly stigmatized and complex. Hari presents science in an accessible and uplifting way.
5. Supported self-study on topic 5/5
6. Increased curiosity 5/5
I was against ozempic akin to Chapter 10 Lara’s POV that it’s abused for superficial reasons, however, I agree with Hari’s conclusion that it should be used to treat people who need it while we implement societal root cause solutions as exemplified by Japan’s culture of eating or Iceland’s youth exercise program.
People deserve to live their best lives.
Emphasis on health, how to be healthy with the health benefits - not looks.
June 25, 2024
As an aspiring researcher, I find this book about the new weight-loss drugs like Ozempic rather fascinating. Although I have not heard about it before reading this, it feels important to talk about its benefits and risks and the underlying problems that lead to people (in obese populations) to need it. 💊
Johann Hari writes in an engaging way, feeding us with study statistics, interview responses and anecdotes that he learned or obtained along the way in his quest to answer the question: “Are these drugs a magic solution - or a magical illusion?” 📈
Given Hari’s tendency to share a bit about himself and use anecdotes, care has to be taken in identifying potentially alarmist sections of the book. Thankfully, Hari remains objective as much as he cans and leaves it up to the reader to come to their own conclusions about the drugs. Additionally, some of the topics are well brought up: the unhealthy American diet, eating disorders and the fat acceptance movement. 🧑🏻🏫
4/5
Johann Hari writes in an engaging way, feeding us with study statistics, interview responses and anecdotes that he learned or obtained along the way in his quest to answer the question: “Are these drugs a magic solution - or a magical illusion?” 📈
Given Hari’s tendency to share a bit about himself and use anecdotes, care has to be taken in identifying potentially alarmist sections of the book. Thankfully, Hari remains objective as much as he cans and leaves it up to the reader to come to their own conclusions about the drugs. Additionally, some of the topics are well brought up: the unhealthy American diet, eating disorders and the fat acceptance movement. 🧑🏻🏫
4/5
June 12, 2024
I fell into the semaglutide/GLP1 rabbit hole after listening to the Acquired Podcast’s episode on Novo Nordisk. (Sidenote: The Acquired Podcast is a must-listen if you like business, history, and storytelling.)
I picked up this book thinking I would get to know more about this class of drugs, its history, and its effects. But I was in for a surprise. This book is a very personal and vulnerable journey of Johann Hari’s experience with the new semaglutide drug - Ozempic, body image issues, eating disorders and healthy eating.
What stunned me about this book was the description of the food industrial complex. I know it is important to eat plant-based or real food instead of food manufactured in a plant, but it really hit hard to see the kind of impact industrialised food manufacturing has on our eating habits and on our long-term health.
I found this book to be a super interesting read, and it included a lot of food (ha!) for thinking about nutrition, fitness, and eating.
I picked up this book thinking I would get to know more about this class of drugs, its history, and its effects. But I was in for a surprise. This book is a very personal and vulnerable journey of Johann Hari’s experience with the new semaglutide drug - Ozempic, body image issues, eating disorders and healthy eating.
What stunned me about this book was the description of the food industrial complex. I know it is important to eat plant-based or real food instead of food manufactured in a plant, but it really hit hard to see the kind of impact industrialised food manufacturing has on our eating habits and on our long-term health.
I found this book to be a super interesting read, and it included a lot of food (ha!) for thinking about nutrition, fitness, and eating.
July 8, 2024
An enjoyable read. I definitely learned a lot, and I felt like the author sought to be balanced and thorough in his analysis of the risks and benefits of ozempic. My inner biologist thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of how the drug works in the body and the biochemical pathways involved. My biggest complaint was that he broadly dismisses diet and exercise, (lumping it all in with the extreme fad diets he’s tried). At the very end he has a fun chapter on Japan’s different relationship with food and briefly acknowledges that eating fresh, made-from-scratch food is ideal, but then says it’s essentially impossible because in the US and Britain we’re all victims of the fast food industry’s marketing. I’d beg to differ. Overall, though, it was an interesting, informative book, and I’m glad I read it.
June 4, 2024
Well researched, well written, and incredibly eye opening. This book was about so much more than Ozempic and the new weight loss drugs; it was an examination of what got us here in the first place and how the American/western food system is designed to addict us at a young age and makes us more and more sick to where we believe drugs are our only hope. This book will infuriate you on behalf of America’s kids and hopefully inspire you to try to change the system for future generations. I also loved the author’s personal history intertwined in the story along with the fascinating chapter on what Japan gets right and how they maintain the lowest obesity rates of the developed world. 5 stars, essential reading.
June 6, 2024
This was an excellent nonfiction read investigating the scientific and cultural impacts of the Ozempic craze — I love Johann Hari’s writing style & thought this was a great mix of personal anecdotes alongside hardcore science. I learned a lot from this relatively unbiased yet well-informed book, & I definitely recommend it if you’re curious about this super weird futuristic image-centric culture we are living in right now
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