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Review
. 2023 Dec;52(4):751-760.
doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2023.08.006. Epub 2023 Oct 3.

Management of Medication-Induced Weight Gain

Sarah R Barenbaum  1 , Rekha B Kumar  2 , Louis J Aronne  3
Affiliations
Review

Management of Medication-Induced Weight Gain

Sarah R Barenbaum et al. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Several medications can contribute to weight gain. Medication-induced weight gain can have severe health consequences leading to overweight or obesity, or exacerbation of preexisting obesity and the plethora of obesity-related comorbidities. Weight gain due to medications is potentially avoidable by prescribing medications that are either weight neutral or that lead to weight loss, when appropriate. This article reviews the common classes of medications that contribute to weight gain and discusses alternatives to consider.

Keywords: Iatrogenic obesity; Medication-induced obesity; Medication-induced weight gain; Obesity; Treatment of iatrogenic obesity; Treatment of medication-induced weight gain.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure S.R. Barenbaum reports no disclosures. R.B. Kumar is the Chief Medical Officer of Found, a digital weight care platform (executive position and equity ownership). She also reports receiving consulting fees from Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Gelesis. She is a shareholder in Vivus and Myos Corp. Dr L.J. Aronne reports receiving consulting fees from/and serving on advisory boards for Allurion, Altimmune, Atria, Gelesis, Jamieson Wellness, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Optum, Eli Lilly, Senda Biosciences, and Versanis; receiving research funding from Allurion, AstraZeneca, United Kingdom, Gelesis, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, United States Novo Nordisk, Denmark and Eli Lilly & Co, United States; having equity interests in Allurion, ERX Pharmaceuticals, Gelesis, Intellihealth, Jamieson Wellness and Myos Corp; and serving on a board of directors for ERX Pharmaceuticals, Intellihealth, and Jamieson Wellness.