CURRENT ENGLISH

Better weight-loss drugs
predicted for 2024
Harder

1st January 2024

The significance of the new remedies has
been highlighted by industry experts. The
prestigious journal "Science" declared thefamily of weight-loss drugs to be medicine's"breakthrough of the year" for 2023. This
year could prove to be even better for
overweight people, and for those who findexercising difficult. A new drug called
Zepbound has been approved. In clinical
trials, people taking this lost an average of20-25 per cent of their weight. Obesity
specialist, doctor Juliana Simonetti, said thenew drugs were "amazing, since they
address the underlying physiological cause ofweight regain". She added: "I've beenworking in this field over thelast decade, andthe results are very impressive."

One of the most common New Year
resolutions is to lose weight. Weight loss
could be a more achievable prospect in 2024
because of recently-approved injectabledrugs that have proven to be particularly
effective in helping people shed the kilos (orpounds). They belong to a class ofmedications called GLP-1. The most wellknown of these are Wegovy and Ozempic.
The drugs.com website reported that inextensive studies of patients using Wegovy,
83 per cent of participants lost 5 per cent ormore of their weight compared to 31 percent of those taking a placebo. A cardiologist
at the Mayo Clinic said obesity drugs "arehere to stay" and that "more and more ofthese drugs are coming to the market".

Sources: ksl.com / drugs.com / gizmodo.com /breakingnewsenglish.com

DISCUSS“It is better to lose weight through exercise
than through drugs.” Do you agree ordisagree? Why (not)?

1CURRENT ENGLISHDISCUSS MORE

True / False
1) Losing weight is the world's mostcommon New Year resolution. T / F

1) What areresolutions?

2) The new weight-loss drugs areadministered by injection. T / F

2) Do you always
resolutions?

3) A study showed that 5% of people
lost 31% of their weight. T / F

3) Have you ever tried to lose weight?

stickYear’stoyour5) Should we try to cure our bodily ills
without drugs?

5) The journal Science said the drugs
were 2023's medical breakthrough.
T/F6) What do you think of injectabledrugs?

6) The drugs could help people whohave problems exercising. T / F

7) What’s the best way to lose weight?
8) What problems in society does
obesity cause?

7) People lost around 20-25% of theirweight using a new drug. T / F

9) What should governments do aboutobesity?

8) A doctor wasn't so impressed withthe weight loss drugs. T / F

10) How do you think 2024 will go?

Synonym Match

Speaking – Losing Weight(The words in bold are from the newsarticle.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.

New

4) Should people be conscious of theirweight?

4) The Mayo Clinic said we'll be usingobesity drugs for a long time. T / F

1. common
2. prospect
3. effective
4. extensive
5. drugs
6. experts
7. prestigious
8. trials
9. address
10. underlying

yourWhich is the best way to lose weight? Rankthese items from 1 (top) to 10 (bottom).
___ No cakes and sweets

experiments
large-scale
reputable
remedies
likelihood
fundamental
successful
deal withpopular
specialists___ Keep a food diary___ Weigh yourself daily___ Cycle everywhere___ No alcohol___ Lift weights___ Eat more plants___ Weekly fasts

2