Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
:Last week, Eli Lilly introduced Zepbound, a powerful new addition to the ever expanding arsenal of obesity drugs. And Black people need to take notice.
Zepbound, a close relative of Mounjaro, shares the popular weight loss drug’s active ingredient but is specifically designed for weight management, unlike Mounjaro’s indication for type 2 diabetes.
The inclusion of Zepbound in the fight against obesity could revolutionize health care in many Black communities, which face a disproportionately high burden of obesity and its associated health issues compared to any other racial or ethnic group in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), four in 10 Americans, totaling about 100 million, are living with obesity; with nearly half (48%) of African-American adults, living with obesity compared to a third (32.6%) of whites. Recent estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys have found that over one third of adults over age 60 are living with obesity with older Black women coming in at the highest rates.
Statistics such as these are even more alarming given the many health risks associated with this deadly condition. Higher rates of diabetes and heart disease, which are highest in Black communities, are intimately tied to obesity; but simply carrying 20 to 30 pounds of extra weight has been linked to more than 200 serious health conditions including cancer, high blood pressure, and most recently, COVID-19.
But using Zepbound as part of a comprehensive weight loss plan that includes getting seven to eight hours of sleep, eating right and daily exercise may be the key to turning these statistics around.
Zepbound shows promise, but is it attainable?
Zepbound has shown superior…
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