In this issue:

• NEW Updated GLP-1 Informed Consent Guide!

• New Research Article: “Use and Misuse of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Among People With Eating Disorders”

• Featured Event: “From Diet Capital to City of Medicine: Fat Liberation in Durham”

• Upcoming AWSIM Events

NEW Updated GLP-1 Informed Consent Guide!

MSSI is excited to announce the release of a newly updated version of our Informed Consent Guide for GLP-1 Agonist Medications, authored by MSSI Advocacy Co-leads Jackie Liu and Marisa Langton (now an MSSI alum)! The goal of this document is to provide patients and healthcare professionals with a comprehensive, evidence-based resource outlining the risks and benefits of using GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss.

Originally released in 2023, the document has been revised to reflect ongoing research about the effects of GLP-1s. The updated version addresses common claims about the effects of GLP-1s on body weight and metabolic health, new and emerging side effects of GLP-1s, and the use of GLP-1s for indications other than diabetes or weight loss. The informed consent guide also provides alternative ways for patients to care for their bodies without pursuing weight loss and important considerations for patients who decide to take a GLP-1.

We hope the updated GLP-1 Agonist Informed Consent Guide will be a helpful resource for patients and healthcare professionals navigating the evolving landscape of research surrounding these medications.

You can find the updated resource on the MSSI website, or click here to download a PDF version!

New Research Article: “Use and Misuse of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Among People With Eating Disorders”

In a recent article published in JAMA Psychiatry, Nicholas Peiper and colleagues investigated the prevalence of GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use and misuse in people with eating disorders in the United States.

Using a cross-sectional study of people with eating disorders recruited through federally funded studies unrelated to GLP-1 RA use, the authors surveyed participants for lifetime or current use of GLP-1 RAs, compounded use (use of noncommercial GLP-1 RAs), and misuse.

Misuse of a GLP-1 RA was defined as:

• Taking more than the prescribed starting, titration or maintenance dose

• Increasing the dose before prescribed

• Taking less than the prescribed dose

• Taking for a longer period than prescribed

• Disassembling or tampering with injection equipment

• Sharing with family, friends, or acquaintances without a prescription

Key Findings:

• 32.1% of study participants reported lifetime GLP-1 RA use and 22.0% reported current use. These rates are significantly higher than the 15% lifetime use rate reported in the general population (Drucker 2026).

• The prevalence of lifetime misuse was 10.1% and of lifetime use of compounded products was 9.9%.

• 32.1% of study participants who had used GLP-1 RAs reported an adverse event.

• The majority of study participants had psychiatric comorbidities including anxiety (87.5%) and mood disorders (70.8%). Medical comorbidities including heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary diseases, and gastrointestinal conditions were also common.

Takeaways:

• Prevalence of lifetime GLP-1 RA use was higher in a sample of people with eating disorders than in the general population.

• People with eating disorders may be using GLP-1 RAs in contraindicated ways to enable restrictive eating and weight loss.

• The availability of compounded GLP-1 RAs that are easily obtained without medical or regulatory oversight further enhances the risk of misuse and adverse events.

• This study was limited by its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report. Additional research is needed to more precisely estimate GLP-1 RA misuse in different eating disorder subtypes, investigate demographic differences, and further characterize reasons for misuse.

Event Spotlight: “From Diet Capital to City of Medicine: Fat Liberation in Durham”

We are excited to highlight an upcoming event organized by Scalawag magazine featuring Da’Shaun Harrison, author of Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness. The event will be both in-person and virtual! See below for more information.

Join Scalawag and a panel of dynamic speakers, cultural workers, community organizers, creatives, and writers at the The People's Solidarity Hub - Teal Building for an engaging hybrid event exploring the theme of Fat Liberation in Durham. This event will take place on August 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM.

This panel will explore Durham's history in the development of the diet industry, the pathologization and medicalization of fatness, and what it means to organize against anti-fatness in a city structured by this history. Come with your burning questions and a desire to engage in transformative conversation with Da'Shaun Harrison, Ifasina Clear, Danielle Purifoy, Sherronda J. Brown, Antonia Randolph, and Annie Elledge.

Upcoming AWSIM Events!

August 19, 2026
Why Weight-Inclusive Medicine? Ethics, Bias, and Clinical Responsibility
Lisa Erlanger, MD
Time: 12:00 PM PT / 3:00 PM ET

Save the Date! AWSIM Fall Symposium 2026
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
10:00 AM–2:00 PM PT / 1:00–5:00 PM ET
More details coming soon!

This newsletter was authored by MSSI member Megan Coolahan (Tufts University School of Medicine).