Anthony Anderson is voicing out about the Ozempic weight loss trend sweeping Hollywood and social media.
The medication has been long known for treating Type 2 diabetes but was recently approved for managing weight gain issues, causing quite a ruckus
This appears not to sit well with Anderson, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes over twenty years ago,, as he believes that the ensuing trend adversely affects those like him who actually need the treatment for their health, not weight loss, by creating shortages.
Anthony Anderson Believes Ozempic Trend Is Creating Shortage For Type 2 Diabetic Patients
The 52-year-old comedian, active in diabetes awareness over the years, dished on the Ozempic Controversy while appearing at the annual Game Big Give Event in Paradise Valley, Arizona, on Saturday, February 11.
He spoke to PEOPLE about his hope that the trend would end, adding, “I will say this, it’s creating a shortage for those of us who need the medicine that we need and not for weight loss issues, but for our health.”
Many like Anderson, have switched to Ozempic for their Type 2 diabetes. However, the drug has now been approved as Wegovy for only treating obesity and promoting weight loss.
Per the FDA’s website, the two drugs are “currently in shortage,” and Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, told the magazine that the trend is “taking away from patients with diabetes.”
Apovian viewed the trend as concerning and was not worried about celebs who needed to shed weight. Rather, she stressed that those that are “dying of obesity” and “are going to die of obesity” should be of concern. She further noted, “We have lifesaving drugs – and the United States public that really needs these drugs can’t get them.”
Anderson, an ambassador for pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk’s “Get Real About Diabetes” campaign, has never shied away from speaking about his condition.
He once opened up about his diabetes journey, saying he felt great and was focused on “just bringing awareness to all of these diseases that affect us all.” In a conversation with Healthline about his partnership with Novo Nordisk, Anderson divulged how he copes with his condition, which he believed is not a “death sentence.”
The “Guys with Kids” actor assured readers that while having type 2 diabetes majorly increases one’s risk of having heart disease, one can also “live comfortably and go on about your daily life.”
He shared, “It changed my life. It slowed me down a little bit just so I could figure out what it is, what moves I needed to make next. And I wanted to know what to do to stay healthy, live with this disease, and not die from it.”
The “Black-ish” star was able to do so through lifestyle changes by “eating better, being a little bit more active, and [being] conscious of the things that I put into my body.” While it has been over two decades since his diagnosis, he has now figured out the basic daily routines that work for him.
The “Me, Myself & Irene” actor explained, “When I get up in the morning, I try to get all my complex carbs in during the day, so I’m not overwhelmed with them at night while I’m asleep.” He added that he frequented the gym and took everything “one step at a time, in moderation” until it became a typical pattern.
Lala Kent Says ‘It’s Enough Already’ Amid Ozempic Trend In Hollywood
Alongside Anderson, TV star Lala Kent, an advocate for health and wellness, spoke out about the improper use of Ozempic for weight loss purposes.
As reported, Kent opened up about her disappointment in those, particularly celebrities, who misused the treatment for non-medical intentions. She cautioned, “Stop taking it for weight loss; it’s enough already,” adding that there was a need for change in Hollywood, starting with the older generation like herself in Hollywood.
The 32-year-old also believed the Ozempic trend added pressure to those in Hollywood who had body image issues, thereby prolonging unhealthy habits. She emphasized, “I think there’s a lot of things that need to change, and it starts with us, and there are times where I roll my eyes and say, ‘F**king do better, all of us.'”
