Without Ray Pederson, weight-loss drugs might not exist. It’s a legacy he’s not entirely comfortable with.
“I do have real concerns,” he says. The Canadian physiologist was a pioneer, the junior partner in the two-man team that discovered the first hormone to govern appetite: gastric inhibitory polypeptide, or GIP. Their discovery forms the foundation of the entire $92bn weight-loss drugs market.
“Certainly for the morbidly obese, it’s been a godsend,” Pederson says. “But it’s being promoted as a way for everybody to lose weight, not just people who are obese but if you want to lose a few pounds to fit in your bathing suit.”
Given Pederson’s central role in a discovery that has transformed the world, it seems extraordinary that he has never given an interview before. Yet he and the other member of the team, his PhD supervisor John Brown, a hard-drinking, combative scientist from County Durham, have largely been forgotten. In fact, Pederson, now 84, feels they’ve been written out of history. After all, weight-loss drugs are known by the name of the second hormone to be discovered: GLP-1, not GIP.
I have a BMI of 57 last I checked. It's hard on my joints and back, clothes don't fit well, my asthma and sleep apnea are worse, I get skin issues, and I'm at high risk of complications from surgery. I'm working on starting GLP-1s right now in the hopes they can help (alongside my therapy) in addressing years of disordered eating and using food as an emotional coping tool. That seems like a great reason for this medication and I have hopes it'll at least make my life easier (combined with some skin removal surgery I hope).
But BMI and such are bullshit for individual health. Models and actors frequently starve themselves to unhealthy levels to look the way they do.
If you don't experience any significant issues from your weight, you are probably better off with more self-acceptance, some therapy, and telling society to take a long walk off a short pier than taking a GLP-1. You don't need it to lose five pounds to fit an XS bathing suit, just buy the small. Or the medium or large even.
Tummies are cute and adorable. Thick thighs are gorgeous. Butts are gorgeous. People are in general super cute at any size, even at my size. Weight loss is mostly necessary when you actually have serious ramifications from the weight.
It takes all sorts if people and ragging on people who fast in intervals to keep trim isn't helpful. What stands is that for the first time in human history we have obesity as a medical problem. If the drug helps with that I'm all for it. But the question remains why now? Why not 1000 years ago or 2000 years? Why now and once we know then perhaps we should do stuff a bit differently.
>"Certainly for the morbidly obese, it's been godsend," Pederson says. "But it's being promoted as a way for everybody to lose weight, not just people who are obese but if you want to lose a few pounds to fit in your bathing suit."
GLP-1s were designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but an unexpected side effect was weight loss. You spend more on medication to eat less than you save on groceries.
At least for me that isn't true. It's a straight trade now that prices have come down. I spend $400/month for name brand and save $100/week in food so I come out slightly ahead.
[OP] TheObserverUK | 6 hours ago
Without Ray Pederson, weight-loss drugs might not exist. It’s a legacy he’s not entirely comfortable with.
“I do have real concerns,” he says. The Canadian physiologist was a pioneer, the junior partner in the two-man team that discovered the first hormone to govern appetite: gastric inhibitory polypeptide, or GIP. Their discovery forms the foundation of the entire $92bn weight-loss drugs market.
“Certainly for the morbidly obese, it’s been a godsend,” Pederson says. “But it’s being promoted as a way for everybody to lose weight, not just people who are obese but if you want to lose a few pounds to fit in your bathing suit.”
Given Pederson’s central role in a discovery that has transformed the world, it seems extraordinary that he has never given an interview before. Yet he and the other member of the team, his PhD supervisor John Brown, a hard-drinking, combative scientist from County Durham, have largely been forgotten. In fact, Pederson, now 84, feels they’ve been written out of history. After all, weight-loss drugs are known by the name of the second hormone to be discovered: GLP-1, not GIP.
https://observer.co.uk/news/science-technology/article/the-godfather-of-weight-loss-drugs-i-know-there-can-be-bad-outcomes-over-a-period-of-time
barrhavenite | 3 hours ago
Kinda crazy to call his colleague his “PhD supervisor” after all of these years, lmao.
lizzietnz | 29 minutes ago
It can be a sign of respect showing he doesn't see himself above his colleague.
ottawadeveloper | 4 hours ago
It's a good point to make.
I have a BMI of 57 last I checked. It's hard on my joints and back, clothes don't fit well, my asthma and sleep apnea are worse, I get skin issues, and I'm at high risk of complications from surgery. I'm working on starting GLP-1s right now in the hopes they can help (alongside my therapy) in addressing years of disordered eating and using food as an emotional coping tool. That seems like a great reason for this medication and I have hopes it'll at least make my life easier (combined with some skin removal surgery I hope).
But BMI and such are bullshit for individual health. Models and actors frequently starve themselves to unhealthy levels to look the way they do.
If you don't experience any significant issues from your weight, you are probably better off with more self-acceptance, some therapy, and telling society to take a long walk off a short pier than taking a GLP-1. You don't need it to lose five pounds to fit an XS bathing suit, just buy the small. Or the medium or large even.
Tummies are cute and adorable. Thick thighs are gorgeous. Butts are gorgeous. People are in general super cute at any size, even at my size. Weight loss is mostly necessary when you actually have serious ramifications from the weight.
UndergroundCreek | 2 hours ago
It takes all sorts if people and ragging on people who fast in intervals to keep trim isn't helpful. What stands is that for the first time in human history we have obesity as a medical problem. If the drug helps with that I'm all for it. But the question remains why now? Why not 1000 years ago or 2000 years? Why now and once we know then perhaps we should do stuff a bit differently.
pingpongjasper | 4 hours ago
Here’s a non paywall link 🤞🏽 https://archive.ph/cFV7M
TGAILA | 5 hours ago
>"Certainly for the morbidly obese, it's been godsend," Pederson says. "But it's being promoted as a way for everybody to lose weight, not just people who are obese but if you want to lose a few pounds to fit in your bathing suit."
GLP-1s were designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but an unexpected side effect was weight loss. You spend more on medication to eat less than you save on groceries.
Ashamed-Status-9668 | 5 hours ago
With what the cost of food is now it might be cheaper to go on GLP-1's :) I'm joking of course.
Wise-Peanut9552 | 4 hours ago
At least for me that isn't true. It's a straight trade now that prices have come down. I spend $400/month for name brand and save $100/week in food so I come out slightly ahead.
Lazy-Living1825 | 4 hours ago
Glp1’s save money on food.