Public lecture - GLP-1s and Beyond: Are lifestyle interventions still relevant for weight management?

The arrival of highly effective GLP-1 medicines is changing the way we think about obesity and its treatment. With these medications producing unprecedented levels of weight loss, many are asking whether healthy eating, physical activity, and other lifestyle approaches are still as important as they once were.

This lecture will explore the latest scientific evidence behind these new treatments, examining both their impressive benefits and their limitations, including long-term effectiveness, side effects, accessibility, and cost. It will also consider the continuing importance of diet, physical activity, sleep, and behaviour change—not only for achieving and maintaining weight loss, but for improving overall health and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

Drawing on the latest research, the talk will explore whether lifestyle interventions are being replaced by medication, or whether the future of obesity care lies in combining the best of both. Join us for an engaging discussion that challenges common assumptions, separates fact from hype, and explores what the next generation of weight management could look like for individuals, healthcare professionals, and society.

Speaker

James King is currently a Reader in Clinical Exercise Science within the School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences at Loughborough University. His research interests focus on the interaction between exercise and diet with energy balance and obesity-related disease.

James is Associate Editor for the International Journal of Obesity, Scientific Advisor for the Nuffield Health Research Group as well as being a blood collection officer for UK Anti-Doping.

This event is free to attend and open to anyone with an interest in the topic. It will be delivered online via Microsoft Teams. Booking is required, please complete the booking form and you will receive an email the day before the event with the online joining instructions.

If you have any questions about this event please email NCSEM-Education@lboro.ac.uk.