Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) has rapidly moved from a clinical term to a mainstream topic that dominates news headlines on a regular basis. As a result, many people are now familiar with medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, which help control appetite and support weight loss by mimicking the satiety effects of natural gut hormones like GLP-1. However, while their efficacy is recognised, concerns about safety, side-effects, long-term results, affordability and dependency are impacting consumer behaviour and perception. The rise in obesity across the globe is triggering deeper research into appetite biology. As a result, the drivers behind the body’s own ability to regulate hunger and satiety are also increasingly being understood. Moving from pharmaceutical dependency to nutritional strategies that support GLP-1 pathways more naturally and sustainably is becoming increasingly interesting to consumers.

Therefore, while GLP-1 therapies may be here to stay, many consumers continue to pursue weight management through natural approaches that may lead to more gradual weight loss but are considered more balanced. In fact, according to research more than two in three global consumers say they are interested in food or beverages that stimulate GLP-1 hormones naturally (69%) (1). Whether opting for GLP-1 medication or a natural approach, in both cases, the need for high quality diets remains essential. For the industry, this opens up promising opportunities for functional ingredients that help modulate appetite, stabilise blood glucose and support long-term metabolic health, and these are becoming central to innovation strategies – both with and without GLP-1 medication.

The rising consumer interest in weight management solutions couldn’t be timelier. Already today, more than 1 billion people are living with obesity (2) and predictions show that by 2030, nearly 3 billion adults – about half of the adult population – will be overweight or obese (3). With both conditions major risk factors for non-communicable diseases, including type-2 diabetes and heart disease, this is putting global health systems under increasing pressure. Therefore, prioritising prevention from the earliest years, and throughout all stages of life, has never been more important.

Research shows that consumers across the world are ready to take action with 40% saying they want to lose weight (4) and 2 in 5 citing weight management as a major concern related to their physical health (5). In addition, half are actively trying to manage their weight by making adjustments to their diet and a quarter have purchased functional food and beverages for weight management (5). These insights demonstrate the opportunities for manufacturers who can effectively cater for this trend.

Although it’s widely recognised across the globe that being obese or overweight is bad for long-term health, discussions continue around the roles of GLP-1 medication and natural weight loss approaches in addressing this. GLP-1 is a hormone naturally produced in the gut after eating and it helps regulate blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin, suppressing glucagon and slowing digestion. GLP-1 medications amplify these effects by reducing appetite and promoting a feeling of fullness. But while they may be highly effective in promoting satiety and thereby weight loss, real-world experience highlights important limitations. Reduced appetite, corresponding lower food intake and rapid weight reduction often leads to lower nutrient intake, digestive discomfort, loss of lean body mass and low energy. Even more critically, a recent systematic review (6) of 37 studies suggests that within 18 months of discontinuing weight loss medication, all the lost weight may be regained. On the other hand, while those who don’t take such medication typically lose less weight, they also regain it more slowly.

As the efficacy debate continues, one thing is clear: GLP-1 therapies have significantly shifted consumer expectations when it comes to weight management. With this in mind, food and beverage producers looking to support consumers will need to look beyond weight loss and calorie reduction benefits towards ingredients that also help enhance satiety, support metabolic health and reduce GLP-1 drug side effects. This is creating new opportunities for gut-health and satiety-promoting, nutrient-dense food and drink products. With consumers now clearly linking gut-health to overall health and understanding the important role of balanced blood sugar levels for metabolic health, prebiotic fibres and low-glycaemic carbohydrates, as well as plant-based proteins are valuable additions to producers’ formulations.

Successful weight management, through natural or medical intervention, has long been underpinned by aspects like appropriate protein and fibre intake to support digestive health, but also hydration, nutrient-dense smaller portions, glycaemic impact and metabolic health. As more is understood about GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, expert consensus is increasingly framing GLP-1 therapy as a sequence of stages: from preparing the body metabolically before medication, starting the medication and weight loss, then shifting to weight maintenance and finally discontinuation.

Each of these stages requires different support. For example, before taking medication, it is important to support the body’s natural release of GLP-1 with functional ingredients like the low-glycaemic carbohydrate isomaltulose, that has been shown to stimulate the release of GLP-1 in overweight adults (7).

During weight loss, it’s crucial to support preservation of muscle mass, digestive comfort and mitigate nutrient deficiencies. In this stage, meal replacers are a convenient option, particularly those that combine protein and prebiotic fibre enrichment with low-glycaemic carbohydrates.

During weight maintenance, appetite stabilisation is key, as is maintaining metabolic rate, so ingredients that promote natural GLP-1 release stimulation, such as isomaltulose, are beneficial – especially as its effect is even prolonged to a subsequent meal (8). And finally, to avoid weight regain after discontinuation, nutrition that can help stabilise both appetite and energy is key. For instance, chicory root fibres, as proven prebiotics, have been shown to support satiety and appetite regulation, while isomaltuloseprovides a sustained energy supply.

Every weight loss journey, with or without the aid of GLP-1 medication, requires reduced calorie intake. With smaller food portions, this often means that less nutrients are consumed. Therefore, nutrient-dense, protein- and fibre-rich foods offer an important way to prevent deficiencies.

Protein is key to losing fat while preserving lean body mass and enhancing satiety. It stimulates the production of satiety hormones, which curbs appetite and prevents food cravings. Combining faba bean and rice proteins provides a high-quality plant protein with a complete essential amino acid profile. Plus, foods and beverages with plant protein tick all the boxes for vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and other consumers who want to include more plant-based solutions in their diet. Manufacturers who combine plant-based innovation with weight management benefits – for example, with the help of faba bean ingredients – can reach new consumer groups who want healthy, tasty and environmentally responsible food options.

Dietary fibres play an equally important role in GLP-1-aligned nutrition strategies. Prebiotic fibres such as inulin and oligofructose, derived from chicory root, are among the few proven prebiotics according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics) (9). They selectively increase beneficial bacteria and are the only plant-based ones available. Backed by more than 30 years of research, the wealth of scientific data on chicory root fibres includes numerous randomised controlled trials. In 2022, this resulted in the publication of a systematic literature review with meta-analyses (10), considered to be the most robust methodology in the hierarchy of scientific evidence. Its results demonstrated that chicory root fibre intake (starting at 3g/day) promotes significant growth of Bifidobacteria in the gut microbiome in all age groups and improves bowel function parameters.

To examine health benefits beyond the gut, a further study applied the same robust approach with 32 randomised controlled trials and confirmed that chicory root fibre intake leads to significant reductions in body weight, BMI, fat mass and waist circumference, with effects that remain stable – or even increase – over time (11). They trigger a cascade of metabolic effects that help promote satiety, thereby helping people to naturally reduce their food intake. Inulin and oligofructose can be used in a wide range of food and beverage applications, including baked goods, cereals, dairy and snacks. By supporting a healthy gut microbiota and selectively promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, they can improve digestive health and relieve discomfort, which is important as many GLP-1 patients suffer from constipation or diarrhoea. At the same time, chicory root fibres allow for improved nutritional profiles by reducing sugar or fat content – and thereby calories – while enriching the food with dietary fibre. This makes them a versatile ingredient in any manufacturers’ weight management toolbox.

chicory root

While the GLP-1 trend is bringing certain topics into the spotlight – including nutritional profile improvement via fibre and protein enrichment, sugar reduction, blood sugar management, metabolic health and more – these themes are of course not new as such. But, as the GLP-1 hype continues to reinforce the importance of the weight management market, the food and drink industry will see rising demand for functional ingredients that better support evolving eating habits.

No longer just a weight loss tool, functional ingredients are becoming a crucial component of food and drink products that support weight maintenance, metabolic resilience and long-term health. For food and drink producers, the opportunity lies in leveraging clinically substantiated ingredients that work in harmony with the body’s natural GLP-1 pathways – for example, those that support satiety, enhance nutrient density in smaller portions, assist blood glucose stability and address digestive health. The industry has an important part to play in turning short-term weight management trends into future-proof, holistic nutritional solutions that can effectively support long-term health.