Thin at what cost? The mental toll of the weight-loss race

India Today

2 days ago

Thanks to an overload of celebrity endorsements and viral TikTok trends, weight loss is no longer just a personal health goal. It has become a high-pressure, high-stakes race. However, as the kilos drop, another kind of weight creeps in: the silent, growing burden on our mental health.It is indeed a race — but one that needs reimagining.The pressure to be 'thin' or 'fit' has never been higher. However, the stress, the obsession, and the emotional fragility it produces often go unspoken. As India enters the injectable era of weight loss, experts warn: obesity must not be treated in isolation. The body and mind must heal together.advertisementWeight-Loss Drug Conundrum
So, what's on offer for the body? Quite a lot.Weight-loss injectables (the GLP-1 receptor agonists) have become the pharmaceutical industry's newest repository. Mounjaro (tirzepatide), has already sold over 81,500 units and generated Rs 239 million in revenue, the sales having spiralled by 60% in just one month. Wegovy (semaglutide), after its success in the U.S. and Europe, launched in India recently. The recommended prices for this range from Rs 17,345 to Rs 26,050 per month. There are other GLP-1 analogues too like Ozempic, Zepbound, and Rybelsus which are also a part of India's urban health lexicon. Some of these are legally approved, others are accessed through grey-market channels.Yes, India Needs These DrugsIndia is battling a silent epidemic: obesity. 24% of women and 23% of men aged 15–49 are overweight or obese, according to the NFHS-5 report. Urban obesity is also on an uptick. Nearly half of Indian women aged 35–49 fall into the overweight or obese category, with central obesity being especially prevalent. advertisementAccording to the 2023–24 Economic Survey, obesity in India has tripled over the past decade, amongst middle-aged adults. This also explains the rush toward weight-loss medications.What About Our Minds?While we obsess over physical transformation, mental health is often the silent casualty. 1 in 7 Indians live with some form of mental illness, according to the National Mental Health Survey, and the treatment gap is even more alarming: over 70% of those with depression or anxiety never receive care.There is growing evidence of a bidirectional link between obesity and mental health. Over 80% of individuals with psychiatric illnesses are overweight or obese. Similarly, many obese individuals experience anxiety, depression, and body image dissatisfaction.The 'Stress' Of The SolutionWhile these drugs may address physical concerns, they often trigger an emotional fallout. The cost is not just financially burdensome, it is psychologically draining too, with some patients reporting visible mood swings, appetite loss, body dysmorphia, and even social withdrawal.Adding to this is the stigma of being on medication for weight loss — a condition still wrongly viewed as a matter of willpower rather than biology!Dr. Anjali Sood, an endocrinologist based in Mumbai, feels we're fixing the body, but forgetting the brain. She says: 'GLP-1 receptor agonists are revolutionary. They work in the brain's hunger centres—but that also means we can't ignore their psychological effects. Patients often feel emotionally fragile, especially when physical results slow down.' advertisementShe warns against the 'magic fix' narrative: 'Weight loss is more than a metabolic issue. It's deeply tied to identity, trauma, and mental health. The syringe may help the body—but not always the mind.'A clinical psychologist in Noida, Dr Saurabh Moitra, agrees. 'Many of my patients, especially young women, are under pressure to deliver 'before-and-after' results." When weight doesn't drop quickly, shame and guilt set in. Some develop disordered eating or social anxiety.'He adds: 'Thin doesn't mean happy (always). And our current health ecosystem doesn't prepare patients for that emotional contradiction.'India urgently needs protocols that integrate mental health support with weight-loss treatment. Countries like Denmark and the U.S. are already considering mandatory psychological screenings before prescribing GLP-1s. Experts recommend a collaborative model of care with endocrinologists, psychologists, nutritionists, and general practitioners working together.We can't afford to fight obesity with blinkers on. Without a mental health infrastructure, we're just moving the problem from body to mind.- Ends
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