This is not a story about medicine being inadequate. It is a story about a powerful new treatment era creating new needs around the person.
Obesity is one of the defining health challenges of our time — complex, chronic and still very underserved.
1.13B
adults projected to live with obesity by 2030, up from 524 million in 2010 (World Obesity Federation)
20+
health conditions associated with obesity
$2.76T
potential cost to the global economy in lost GDP by 2050 (McKinsey)
$66B
global obesity medicine sales in 2025, forecast toward $105–200B from 2027 (IQVIA)
Today, nearly 1 billion adults globally live with obesity, and the number is projected to continue rising. The World Obesity Federation estimates that adult obesity will increase from 524 million adults in 2010 to 1.13 billion adults by 2030, while broader overweight and obesity are expected to affect nearly 3 billion adults by 2030.
The impact goes far beyond weight. Obesity is associated with more than 20 health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, liver disease and certain cancers. It also carries a major economic burden, with McKinsey estimating that obesity could cost the global economy USD 2.76 trillion in lost GDP by 2050.
At the same time, obesity care is entering a new era. GLP-1 and next-generation anti-obesity medicines are transforming what is possible in weight management, delivering clinically meaningful weight loss and important cardiometabolic health benefits. The global obesity medicines market has already become one of the fastest-growing areas in healthcare, with IQVIA reporting USD 66 billion in global obesity medicine sales in 2025 and forecasting growth toward USD 105–200 billion from 2027 and beyond.
This progress is extraordinary — but medication alone is not the full answer.
Modern Obesity Treatments work partly by reducing appetite and calorie intake, which also creates new practical challenges: less dietary input, altered food preferences, delayed gastric emptying, gastrointestinal side effects, nutrient adequacy, hydration, protein intake, muscle and bone preservation, adherence and long-term weight maintenance.
Obesity is not one simple problem with one simple solution. Some people are preparing to start treatment. Some are in active weight loss. Some respond well and some not. Some struggle with side effects. Some interrupt or discontinue treatment. Others regain weight after stopping. Each phase creates different needs.
The persistence challenge
30%+
of users discontinued within the first month (BHI, 2024, n = 169,250)
42%
of users met the 12-week definition of clinical success
49%
of negative experiences with modern anti-obesity medications were linked to side effects (social listening data)
Real-world data show that persistence can drop rapidly after treatment initiation. In the BHI issue brief (2024, “Real-World Trends in GLP-1 Treatment Persistence and Prescribing for Weight Management”, n = 169,250), more than 30% of users discontinued within the first month, and only 42% of users met the 12-week definition of clinical success. The probability of staying on a GLP-1 drug drops sharply between zero and six weeks.
The patient voice points to the same unmet need. In social listening data, 49% of negative experiences with modern anti-obesity medications were linked to side effects, ahead of cost concerns and access issues.
A 2025 joint advisory, “Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity,” from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society identifies gastrointestinal side effects, reduced calorie intake, risk of nutrient inadequacy, muscle and bone loss, discontinuation and weight regain as key issues during GLP-1 therapy.
This is where a new category of companion support products is emerging. Patients need real solutions that fit naturally into the modern obesity-treatment journey — from treatment start, through active weight loss, and into long-term maintenance.
Support must start before treatment starts — and continue after.
The gut is central to this new support category. A 2026 review, “GLP-1 agonists and the gut microbiome: A bidirectional relationship,” describes the gut microbiome as an emerging frontier in GLP-1 and metabolic research, pointing to the importance of the host–microbe–drug axis in future metabolic care.
The opportunity: Better Weight Loss.
Azento Health is building at the intersection of these emerging needs through microbiome science, product-specific evidence and a stage-specific companion pipeline.
At Azento Health, we believe the future is bright. Through our azh-biotics® technology platform, we are developing microbiome-based companion support products designed for the real-world needs emerging around modern weight management.
One treatment revolution. A new ecosystem of needs.
Because the future of obesity care is not only about weight loss. It is about Better Weight Loss.