8/15/25: Controversial Things RDs Say about Weight Loss; "Ozempic" Rebound; Nutrition Interventions for GLP-1's; MAHA meets the Wellness Industry & the Cockroach of Quackery; & more

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Gigliotti L, Warshaw H, Evert A, et al. Incretin-based therapies and lifestyle interventions: The evolving role of registered dietitian nutritionists in Obesity Care. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2025;125(3):408-421. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2024.10.023

📎Post-Ozempic Rebound

Don’t Play Yo-Yo with Your Weight: The ‘Post-Ozempic’ Rebound | Office for Science and Society - McGill University

“…what happens when one stops using GLP-1-based drugs for weight loss? Well, if you stop taking your blood pressure medication, your pressure rises. If you stop taking your statins, your blood lipid levels rise. Unsurprisingly, the same is true for body weight, which rebounds when the brain is no longer receiving the signal to reduce food intake. However, what was a little unexpected was the finding that amount of weight regain is related to the original weight that was lost.

In a landmark study (Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022; 24:1553-1564), 1961 obese adults were treated with 2.4 mg of semaglutide (i.e., the same drug in Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) for 68 weeks, with 327 of the participants followed for an additional year following treatment discontinuation. Overall weight loss during treatment averaged 17.3% as compared to 2% in the placebo group. However, the range of weight loss with the treatment varied from less than 5% to greater than 20%. Following withdrawal of the treatment, weight regain averaged only 11.6% in the treatment group, meaning a net weight loss of 5.7% after one year of treatment and one year of discontinuation; the comparable number in the placebo group was 0.1%. In other words, as a whole, not all of the weight lost during treatment was regained. Furthermore, the range of weight regain also varied. Those who lost less than 5% during treatment ended up regaining more weight than they had lost, whereas those who lost more than 20% of their body weight during treatment ended up 12% lighter than they had started….”

❓Question: Weight Management & Bariatrics Group

Build Up Dietitians Weight Management &Bariatric/Metabolic Treatment

Kelsey H. “Weight loss is an outdated concept and not helpful. Fat mass loss, while building muscle, should be the goal. This may not equate to as significant of a loss of pounds for some people but it does have better health outcomes.”

Angie G. “It’s best to refrain from commenting on someone’s smaller body size after weight loss. Example, saying “you look great!” can perpetuate even more potentially unhealthy weight loss.”

Erika S. “Eating too little is also a problem.”

Michael M. “A lot of people should focus more on muscle gain than weight loss.”

Danielle H. “Doing it alone is hard. Don’t be afraid to ask for help (meds, surgery, dietitian, psych).”

🦆MAHA and the Wellness Hustle

Katie Suleta : “MAHA and the Wellness Hustle: Loud, Proud, and Profiting From Fear” American Council on Science and Health

“…When you look past the rhetoric and examine their actions, it becomes immediately apparent why this alliance between MAHA and the Wellness Industry benefits both. The grift is the point.

It was never about making you healthier. It was about making money off of making you think that they wanted you to be healthier. They’ve sold you a specific set of virtues that they alone represent, capitalizing on the fear and frustration that people feel towards various aspects of our systems….

Ultimately, the alliance between the MAHA movement and the Wellness Industry isn't a political anomaly; it's a logical consequence of their shared playbook…they sell an ideology of suspicion and a narrative of personal empowerment that conveniently leads to their own financial gain. The complaints about "Big Pharma" and "corrupt government" are a distraction, as they create new, unregulated industries with the same profit motives they claim to despise.

The true danger is not just the bogus supplements or unproven health devices, but the erosion of trust in established institutions, which allows charlatans to thrive. When the public is convinced that all "Bigs" are malicious, it's easy for a new set of "trusted" messengers to step in and monetize that disillusionment. The grift, as it turns out, was never just a byproduct of their work; it was the entire point.”

This image from 2016 - that’s how long the Cockroach of Quackery, the Mama of MAHA, aka Food Boob - Food Babe has been around.

Read about Vani Hari (Food Babe) in this newsletter: 10/22/24 - October Subscription Deal; Spotlight-Trip Planner Dietitian; Food Babe (Part 2); 4 Things You Don't Want to Miss & More

🗣️LinkedIn: Nick Budden (Food & Beverage Consultant)

“If you want to understand a controversial issue,
Watch *how* people disagree.

Who brings empirical data?
Who relies on personal stories?

Who sticks to the issue?
Who tries to derail the conversation?

Who listens carefully before responding?
Who simply recites talking points?

Who engages with new information?
Who dismisses it out of hand?

Who keeps their composure?
Who lets emotions distract from the argument?

Who presents clear, structured thoughts?
Who speaks in vague generalities or rambles?

Who engages directly with counterpoints?
Who tries to shoot the messenger?

Who disagrees respectfully?
Who insults or belittles the other side?

None of these tell the whole story on their own. But pay attention to the patterns that emerge. And if you *really* want to understand, look at how the wider community around them responds.”