Former Nickelodeon star's viral TikTok sparks debate on whether Ozempic weight loss drug is 'cheating'
One doctor said, 'Nobody is cheating by using Ozempic'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Nickelodeon child star, Josh Peck, sparked a debate with his viral TikTok on whether weight-loss drugs like Ozempic were considered cheating.
Peck's TikTok started a debate comparing the "natural" versus "artificial" paths to losing weight, igniting the question: are those who use weight loss medications to accelerate their weight loss "cheating" to achieve their goals?
The 10-second clip, which has since garnered 21.5 million views, was captioned, "When you lose 100 pounds naturally, and then Ozempic."
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Josh Peck shares a video comparing Ozempic with his natural weight loss journey. (TikTok - @joshpeck)
In the video, Peck is seen on camera mouthing the lyrics of "Rose’s Turn" from the musical "Gypsy" in the video, lip-syncing, "All that work, and what did it get me? Why did I do it?"
Over 11,000 users weighed in, praising the "Oppenheimer" actor’s natural journey to weight loss. One comment with over 230K likes stated, "No, no. You did it the right way, and you don't have [a] weird Ozempic face. Thank you."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another user’s comment with over 120K likes wrote, "Ozempic comes with 1,000 issues, you did it right."
An additional user’s comment that garnered more than 50,000 interactions, stated, "You changed the lifestyle, which creates a lasting change. Once Ozempic [halts], the weight goes back on."
"The way you did it come[s] with [an] extra lifespan," another user echoed.
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Anti-diabetic medication Ozempic (semaglutide) made by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. (JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the Pew Research Center, "four in ten U.S. adults have obesity, and there’s been a significant increase in the share of Americans with this disease over the past two decades."
Of the Americans familiar with weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, only 12% reported that these prescriptions are viable alternatives for people who want to lose weight, while 62% said these medicines aren’t a good solution for those without a medical condition who are on a weight loss journey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dr. Sahar Takkouche, a bariatrician and associate professor of medicine with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told USA Today, "Nobody is cheating by using Ozempic. They're using some of today's modern tools to help them achieve a healthier lifestyle, which doesn't mean quote unquote low weight. It means less fat around your body that increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and other problems."
Obesity, unhealthy weight. Nutritionist inspecting a woman's waist using a meter tape to prescribe a weight loss diet (iStock)
While prescriptions like Ozempic and Mounjaro were approved to treat diabetes, Wegovy and Zepbound were approved to treat obesity. Despite their opposing purposes as stated by the FDA, Zepbound and Mounjaro are tirzepatides, while Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutides.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Semaglutides help "the pancreas release the right amount of insulin" if blood sugar is high, while tirzepatides work by "reducing appetite."
The official website of Ozempic states that the medication "is not FDA approved for weight loss or chronic weight management."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Many presume that using weight-loss drugs could be "cheating," as some surmise that these medications imply a lack of necessity for slimming basics like diet and exercise.
Takkouche said, "You need to have a proper diet and exercise in addition to taking these medications. They do not replace one another."