Key Summary
- One in three adults in Scotland’s most deprived areas is living with obesity
- University of Glasgow, Novo Nordisk, and IQVIA have been selected to conduct the research
- The researchers will involve 3,000 to 5,000 Scottish patients living with obesity
Around 5,000 people from some of Scotland's most deprived areas will be offered free weight-loss jabs as part of the multi-million pound study, led by Glasgow University.
The findings will provide insight into the lives of people living with obesity and health inequalities across the UK.
University of Glasgow, Novo Nordisk and IQVIA, a leading global provider of clinical research services, have been selected to plan and deliver the research.
The other players include the Universities of Dundee and Edinburgh.
The UK government had, on November 1, awarded £650,000 to help the researchers prepare for the full launch of the study in 2026.
The researchers will involve 3,000 to 5,000 Scottish patients living with obesity and work through pharmacies and GP surgeries.
They will also try to make the best use of AI-driven digital technologies to support patient access, engagement and data collection.
The study will uncover the impacts of an incretin-based weight loss medicine (GLP-1), from spotting weight change patterns to detecting and preventing obesity-related complications.
These findings will provide insights into the safety and effectiveness of weight-loss jabs.
If successful, incretin-based treatments will be used to improve long-term health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
Incretin-based medicines copy or boost the effects of natural hormones called incretins, which control blood sugar levels.
They act on areas of the brain that impact hunger and appetite and can slow down how fast the stomach empties.
This may help people living with obesity regulate their eating habits.
UK Health Innovation Minister, Dr Zubir Ahmed, pointed out that one in three adults in Scotland’s most deprived areas are living with obesity.
"As a practicing NHS surgeon and Glasgow MP, I know firsthand the impact of the obesity crisis that plagues Scotland – and the litany of health problems it leads to.
"The UK government is determined to move the dial on obesity and move our country on from sickness to prevention."
