Exercise improves long-term benefits of GLP-1 drugs

Pairing GLP-1 therapy with regular, structured exercise improves long-term health outcomes, reduces downstream costs and generates positive economic returns. The findings come from a white paper, titled From Weight Loss to Lasting Value: Structured Exercise and the Economics of GLP-1 Therapy. The paper analyses research that examined the long-term clinical and economic value of the use of structured exercise in tandem with GLP-1 treatments.

Developed by FTI Consulting’s Center for Healthcare Economics and Policy, the white paper compares impacts of GLP-1 therapy as a standalone obesity treatment with GLP-1 therapy combined with exercise.

In partnership with a multinational coalition of fitness sector organisations, the analysis used a health-economic model adapted across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the United States. Across all five countries studied, the analysis found that a combined approach supports improved long-term health outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and produced positive economic returns. Combining regular exercise with GLP-1 therapy is estimated to generate, in the UK, around £2.7bn in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 164% return on investment, rising to 717% and £13bn over 30 years.

For the US, the figures are even higher – US$120bn in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 496% return on investment, rising to 1,572% and US$393bn over 30 years. The study also looked at three other countries (New Zealand, Canada and Australia) and in each exercise generated added value.