Brandon Foley 
Nestle products/ Photo by Mahmoud Salem on
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, and other GLP-1 medicines were originally used to treat Type 2 diabetes, but are now also being used for obesity and weight management.
GLP-1 medicines usually have an appetite-reducing effect, often changing food habits. This means that people might stop consuming less food, including snacking. This would be a serious problem for the snacking industry. Nestlé’s solution to this is to throw their proverbial hat into the ring.
Around one-in-eight people use GLP-1 medicines, according to Statista’s figures, with that number only increasing. Nestlé introduced Vital Pursuit, a product targeting people trying to be healthier, namely, those on GLP-1 medicines.
Nestlé said the products were designed around specific attributes, including that they are, “[H]igh in protein and contain essential nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, calcium or iron.”
The Nestlé brand is attempting to help GLP-1 medicine users have access to food with “beneficial nutrients” for individuals having to adjust their food intake.
“People taking these medications have a decreased appetite, and they must adjust their diets with a sharper focus on smaller portions, while also prioritizing beneficial nutrients.” Said Marlene Schmidt, Registered Dietitian and Senior Health & Wellness Manager at Nestlé.
Weight loss this quickly can result in loose skin, such as on the face. This phenomenon is what Northwell Health dubs, “Ozempic face.” While this can of course happen with any rapid fat loss, it is affecting how consumers are thinking about their future bodies.
According to GXPNews, “Other market players are also focused on side effects. British drug giant GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) is avoiding Ozempic and instead focusing on a different treatment for cardiometabolic risks related to obesity and diabetes.
“GSK signed a licensing deal with China’s SiranBio worth up to $1 billion to develop the experimental drug SA030. The idea is that the molecule will reduce abdominal fat and lower cardiac risk without sacrificing muscles.”
Given the trends, it seems as though people are eating more health-consciously, which is true. But that doesn’t eliminate unhealthy junk foods.
