ALMOST half of women in Jersey aged 30 to 59 would consider taking weight-loss medicines, new figures have revealed – as local GPs report that once-unusual requests for the drugs now arise most days.
More than a quarter of women in that age group said they had already tried GLP-1 agonists – such as Ozempic or Mounjaro – amid warnings that some people are seeking prescriptions to change their appearance, despite having no medical need to lose weight.
The Island Global Research findings come as a decision on publicly funding the drugs for obesity in Jersey remains on hold, with GPs saying the extent of private prescribing is unknown because nobody collects the figures centrally.
Dr Guillaume Besson, speaking on behalf of the Primary Care Body which represents Jersey GPs, said: “Demand for these medicines has gone up a lot. Two years ago a patient asking about Wegovy or Mounjaro was unusual, now it comes up most days in most practices.”
He added: “The requests that worry us are from people who don’t need to lose weight: somebody with a normal BMI who wants to drop half a stone before a wedding or, more seriously, someone who has struggled with eating for years and sees this as a way of not eating at all.
“These drugs are not for that, and a prescriber who hands them out in that situation is doing more harm than good.”
The survey of 2,532 people across Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man found that 14% had used medicines or injections for weight loss, rising to more than a quarter of women aged 30 to 59.
Overall, 29% would consider using them in future, including almost half of women in that age group. Reported use was twice as high among women as men: 18% compared with 9%.
The findings cover the three islands collectively, but researchers said the results were similar by location.
Dr Besson said many people obtaining weight-loss drugs would not have gone through their own GP.
“We can’t give you Jersey numbers, unfortunately,” he said. “A lot of this is private prescribing, either here or through UK online pharmacies, and nobody collects it centrally.”
He said social media and accounts of dramatic weight loss were driving demand, while side effects and complications of GLP-1 agonists received less attention.
“People arrive having seen the before-and-after pictures, and often they know someone who’s lost huge amounts of weight on it,” he explained.
“What they don’t see is the other side, the nausea, the people who end up in hospital with pancreatitis or gallstones, the ones who lose muscle mass, and the ones who stop and put it all back on.”
The concerns follow a JEP investigation published in August last year which demonstrated how easily weight-loss drugs could be ordered online without proof of BMI, access to medical records, or a conversation with a clinician.
Dr Besson said assessment and monitoring mattered, including checks on weight, blood pressure, medical history and other medicines.
He urged those considering weight-loss drugs: “Have the conversation with your GP first, even if you’re going to pay for it privately. We know your history, and we’ll tell you honestly whether you’re likely to benefit.”
Dr Besson also encouraged people using online services to choose a pharmacy registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and warned against buying through social media platforms, salons or gyms.
“Be suspicious of anywhere that sends you the pen after a form and nothing else, and don’t lie about your weight – people do, and it’s dangerous,” he added.
“For the right patients these drugs are very good, and we’re glad to have them. The problem isn’t the medicine, it’s who’s taking it and how they got hold of it.”
Obesity advocate Sarah Le Brocq, who grew up in Jersey and now advises nationally on obesity policy, said the survey findings reflected how frequently the treatments were being discussed. However, she warned against losing sight of their medical purpose.
“We need to be careful that the right people are taking these medications because what we’re seeing is people are using these drugs for body image or aesthetic purposes,” she said.
“The data does not surprise me in the fact that lots of people are willing to take these medications because they want to change the way their body looks – but how many of them are doing it to improve their health and have health gains? Because that’s fundamentally what these medications are for.”
Ms Le Brocq said nutritional advice, psychological support and movement to preserve muscle were essential alongside treatment. People eating substantially less could struggle to obtain the nutrients they needed.
“These medications are really, really important – they are literally changing how people living with obesity are being treated, so there’s a real positive here,” she added, but questioned whether everyone prescribing them offered sufficient assessment and continuing care.
“I think it’s really important that Jersey could lead the way with actually making sure that people are getting access to the care and not just access to the medications,” she said.
A decision on whether weight-loss drugs will be publicly funded in Jersey remains on hold more than three years after the UK first made injectable obesity medicines available on the NHS.
The Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee, which advises on medicines funding, deferred a decision originally expected by the end of last year while work was under way to develop weight management services in Jersey. No timetable for completing the work has been provided.
Wegovy is available only privately in the Island, while Mounjaro is funded for eligible patients with type 2 diabetes, rather than weight management.
Government figures show that more than 8,600 prescriptions for GLP-1 medicines were dispensed in 2025, including more than 6,000 items of semaglutide and 2,600 of tirzepatide.
The new survey also found that 52% of women aged 16 to 29 were unhappy with their weight and body image, while three-quarters of respondents were concerned about how weight-loss medicines were represented in the media and online.
Jersey Eating Disorders Support deputy chief executive officer Amy Dingle said the growing visibility of the medicines added another layer to pressures surrounding appearance.
“We are now seeing conversations about these medications everywhere, and they can sometimes be presented as a quick or effortless solution to weight and body dissatisfaction,” she said.
“It is important that we don’t demonise these medications or make assumptions about why an individual may be prescribed them. However, we do need to recognise that for someone who is vulnerable to an eating disorder or already has a difficult relationship with food and their body, repeated messaging around weight loss can potentially be very triggering.”
Miss Dingle called for meaningful screening before prescribing, followed by monitoring and a clear route to support if concerning eating behaviours developed.
“There is also a danger of assuming that weight loss is automatically a positive outcome,” she said. “For someone with an eating disorder, losing weight may actually be a sign that their illness is becoming more severe.
“We would therefore encourage healthcare professionals to look beyond someone’s weight and consider their relationship with food, exercise and their body as a whole.
She also encouraged ongoing monitoring and support for those using weight-loss drugs, rather than “viewing the prescription as the end of the process”.
“If someone develops concerning eating behaviours, becomes increasingly preoccupied with weight or food, or shows signs of an emerging eating disorder, there should be a clear pathway for support and referral.”
Miss Dingle urged anyone struggling to seek help early.
“Eating disorders are serious illnesses, but recovery is absolutely possible, and nobody should feel ashamed about asking for support,” she said.
“If thoughts about food, weight, exercise or appearance are taking up a significant amount of your time, affecting your mood, relationships or daily life, or you feel that you are losing control of your eating, it is worth talking to someone.”
