What happens when the pursuit of thin becomes more profitable than the cure for obesity? When a drug meant for chronic disease management becomes the next beauty filter available to the few desired by many, and misunderstood by nearly everyone. This is The Remedy with Dr. Rani Whitfield, and I'm your host, Dr. Rani. Today we're digging into the complex, controversial, and rapidly changing landscape of GLP ones. You know the names Ozempic, wegovy Ro, and Zep Bound. What started as a treatment for type two diabetes has become a thousand dollars a month passport to thinness. But who's really holding the ticket? Who's being left behind? And more importantly, what are we losing in the process? This is Ozempic Bodies empty plates, the new weight loss divide. Let's rewind. We're in the middle of what the CDC still calls a public health crisis. Over 42% of US adults are considered obese. Among black adults, that number rises to nearly 50% Hispanic adults over 45%. And let's not forget our babies, 20% of US children and adolescents age two to 19 are obese. Setting the stage for lifelong complications. Obesity is linked to more than 200 conditions, including heart disease, stroke type two diabetes, certain cancers, and even Alzheimer's disease. And yet we spend over$170 billion a year managing it, not preventing it, not curing it, just managing it. Enter GLP ones developed in the 2000 GLP one Receptor agonists were first approved to manage blood sugar and type two diabetes. These medications mimic the gut hormone glucagon like peptide one, which stimulates insulin release, reduces appetite, and slows gastric emptying. Translation you feel full faster, eat less, and lose weight for patient. For patients with obesity and diabetes, this is a game changer. Some lose 15%, even 20% of their body weight. We're not talking cosmetic results. We're talking about improvements in A1C blood pressure and inflammatory markers for the right patient. It is revolutionary, maybe even lifesaving, but like most revolutions, it didn't take long to be co-opted by capitalism because now GLP ones have made their way from the clinic to the culture. From Hollywood Hills to TikTok scrolls. Ozempic isn't just a drug, it's a status symbol. You've got influencer. You've got influencers casually mentioning their O shots. Celebrities debuting new bodies at award shows and boutique wellness clinics pushing$1,200 a month injections with no real plan for long-term care. And here's why I have to pause, because as a physician, I've been watching this transformation up close. In my private practice, I'm seeing something deeply concerning more and more people, many of them not obese. Not diabetic, not even overweight by clinical standards are requesting these medications. And many of them, they've forgotten about movement as medicine. They're not exercising, they're not strength training, not thinking about cardiovascular or brain health. They just want this shot. No sweat, no steps, no plan. Give it to me quick. They're not asking about insulin resistance. They're asking about Instagram photos, about a dress fitting, a beach trip, trying to get to a number on the scale they haven't seen since high school. Let's call this what it is, A new wave of body dysmorphia masked as modern medicine. We used to chase six pack abs with crash diets. Now we chase it with prescriptions we don't need. Look, I get it. We live in a society where wellness has been reduced to aesthetics, where health has a look, where thin is still treated as virtuous and fat is failure. But that narrative is costing us physically, emotionally, and economically. Because here's the other side of the coin, GLP-1's are expensive. Even with insurance, patients are getting denied or hit with copays of$500,$600, even 1000 a month, and while celebrities post selfies and shout out their weight loss journeys, patients in underserved communities, many of whom need these medications, can't afford them, can't access them, can't even get time off work to talk to a doctor about them. This isn't just a medical issue, it's a class issue, a race issue, and absolutely a justice issue. Picture this, a single mother in a food desert. She works two jobs, has borderline diabetes and wants to improve her health, but she's surrounded by fast food, convenience stores and no access to sidewalks, parks, a gym or a grocery store. She has a primary care doctor, but the copays are ridiculous and juggling work and family leaves her very little time to schedule her appointments. She's not on TikTok and she just is trying to survive. Now picture a 28-year-old with a normal BMI ordering compounded glide off an Instagram ad to lose 10 pounds to get summertime fine. We've made weight loss look like wellness, when in reality it's become a luxury product. And just like any luxury, not everyone has access. And don't get me started on the potential side effects muscle loss often from not eating enough protein, hair thinning, nausea, bowel changes, specifically constipation, gallbladder issues, and let's not forget mental health. Some patients report increased anxiety or a strange disconnection from their appetite and body while taking GLP ones. I've seen patients drop 25 pounds and still say, I don't feel like myself. Because weight is never just physical. It's emotional, psychological, and yes, spiritual. And when you lose weight without healing your relationship with food movement, self-worth, you don't gain freedom. You gain new fears. So here's where I stand. GLP ones are powerful tools. They belong in our toolbox. For patients with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, they work, but they're not shortcuts to self-worth. They're not replacements for community cooking conversations or coaching your kids' team. They're not the solution to a system that's broken. My prescription for sustainable weight loss is to see your doctor on a regular basis. Get your annual wellness checkups and labs move your body Daily movement is medicine. Prioritize strength, cardio, sleep, and stress reduction. Eat fewer ultra processed foods and more real whole foods when you can and focus not just on how long you live, but how well you live. We call that health span because the quality of your lifespan depends on it. Now before I wrap it up, this week's book pairing is entitled, you Just Need To Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon, an honest, sharply researched breakdown of the fat phobia embedded in our culture and medicine. Read it. Challenge yourself and rethink the narrative and your soundtrack for the week. The wrapper future mask off because when the hype fades, when the filters fall, and when the medications run out, what's left you, your body, your choice, your health. Let me leave you with this. The scale might move, the mirror might change, but you are not just a number and your health is not for sale. Your body deserves more than a trend. It deserves care. It deserves truth. This has been the remedy with Dr. Rodney Whitfield. And remember, we're born looking like our parents, but we die looking like our decisions. Let's make decisions that count. If this episode hits home like it shared, subscribe it and leave a comment so we can get into this discussion. If this episode hits home, like it, share it, subscribe, and leave a comment. Join me every Sunday for a new episode on Spotify, apple Podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your audio fixed. It's the Hip hop doc. They call me H 2D. Come on y'all. Let's get hip hop, healthy, peace and blessings. I'm out.