Health
Ozempic push for seniors? Some doctors say more people age 65 and over should be on it
Just 9% of older adults age 65 and up say they have taken GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, according to recent data from KFF Health — and only 1% said they take the medications just for weight-loss purposes.
Some doctors are recommending that more adults in these older age groups incorporate the drugs as a means of improved health and longevity.
“As our bodies age, we have an increased likelihood of developing medical problems,” Dr. Jennie Stanford, an obesity medicine physician in Pennsylvania and medical contributor for Drugwatch, told Fox News Digital.
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Common problems in patients age 65 and older include diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, cancers and dementia, among others, according to the doctor.
Some doctors are recommending that more adults in older age groups incorporate the drugs as a means of improving their health and longevity. (iStock)
“GLP-1 receptor agonists (like Ozempic) have been shown to not only be effective in treating diabetes, reducing cardiovascular disease risk and promoting weight loss, but also in potentially reducing the risks of dementia and obesity-associated cancers,” Stanford said.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity doctor, refers to obesity as a “gateway disease” — particularly in older adults.
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“Obesity can lead to numerous serious health conditions, including cancer, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Managing weight is not just about appearance — it’s about significantly improving overall health and quality of life by targeting obesity as a major risk factor for age-related diseases, including infections such as COVID-19.”
Benefits of Ozempic for adults 65 and older
Ozempic and Wegovy offer “promising benefits” for weight management across all age groups, Osborn said.
For seniors, he said, the benefits of GLP-1 medications extend far beyond just shedding pounds.
Seniors taking these medications should engage in strength training and boost their protein intake to support muscle health, a doctor recommended. (iStock)
“Weight loss can lead to increased mobility, better balance and a reduced risk of falls, which are major concerns as we age,” Osborn noted.
“By losing weight, older adults can regain the ability to move more freely, which can mean the difference between walking independently, needing a cane or wheelchair, or suffering a fatal head injury from a fall.”
As a trauma-dedicated neurosurgeon, Osborn said that falls comprise the majority of the middle-of-the-night phone calls he receives — a majority of them involving the senior population.
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“The newfound mobility [from losing weight] can boost mood, enhance social interactions and improve overall health, potentially saving lives,” he said.
Just 9% of older adults age 65 and older say they have taken GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Reducing excess weight can also alleviate the strain on joints, decreasing pain and potentially delaying or even avoiding the need for joint replacement surgeries, Osborn noted — “which are risky procedures for elderly individuals, who often have multiple medical conditions.”
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Managing obesity can also significantly lower the risk of developing or worsening conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, according to the doctor.
“These conditions are often intertwined, with obesity serving as a major risk factor,” he told Fox News Digital.
“By addressing obesity early on — with GLP-1 agonists — we can take a proactive step in preventing these life-altering diseases.”
Barriers for seniors to access Ozempic
Despite the clear benefits, it can sometimes be difficult for older adults to access Ozempic and similar medications — in many cases due to cost.
Ozempic and Wegovy offer “promising benefits” for weight management across all age groups, a doctor said. (iStock)
“Medicare and similar insurances often don’t cover them for the indication of weight loss, so patients must have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus to be eligible for insurance coverage for medications like Ozempic,” Stanford told Fox News Digital.
This financial barrier can prevent many seniors from starting or continuing treatment, especially after they turn 65 and lose other forms of insurance coverage, Osborn has experienced.
Risks or considerations for seniors
Patients who are older than 65 may also be at a higher risk of adverse effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists, Stanford pointed out.
“Kidney dysfunction, risk of hypoglycemia, medication interactions and other side effects may occur more frequently and require close monitoring,” she said.
Seniors should also be aware that while GLP-1 medications can help reduce fat, they can also lead to muscle loss or sarcopenia, Osborn noted.
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“Maintaining muscle mass is crucial as we age, because it helps prevent frailty and reduces the risk of falls and fractures,” he warned.
Seniors taking these medications should engage in strength training and boost their protein intake to support muscle health, Osborn recommended.
The situation can be more complex for older adults who are on multiple medications, which increases the risk of drug interactions, doctors say. (iStock)
In some cases, hormone replacement therapy may be helpful in maintaining or bolstering muscle mass.
The situation can be more complex for older adults who are on multiple medications, which increases the risk of drug interactions, according to Osborn.
“For example, GLP-1s can decrease appetite, potentially leading to dehydration, especially if the person is already taking diuretics for conditions like high blood pressure,” he said.
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“So, one has to be extremely careful, as the majority of falls in the senior population are due to the dangerous combination of over-medication and dehydration.”
To combat dehydration, Osborn recommends aiming for a gallon of electrolyte-laden water per day.
“Since GLP-1 agonists also temper thirst, patients must drink regularly throughout the day — even when they’re not thirsty,” he added.
‘Holistic mindset’
Currently, semaglutide (the medication in Ozempic) is approved only for type 2 diabetes and obesity treatment, although evidence shows that it can reduce the risk of heart disease, Stanford noted.
“Additional high-quality evidence supports increased studies for a broader use of semaglutide and other GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are likely to guide our use of these medications in the coming years,” she said.
“Combining GLP-1 medications with lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, can amplify the benefits.”
Osborn urges seniors to approach weight loss with a “holistic mindset.”
“Combining GLP-1 medications with lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, can amplify the benefits,” he said.
“Working closely with a health care team, including a dietitian and possibly a physical therapist, can ensure that weight loss is achieved safely and sustainably.”
While there are risks involved with any medication, Osborn said he believes they are “far outweighed” by the potential benefits of GLP-1 agonists.
“Working closely with a health care team, including a dietitian and possibly a physical therapist, can ensure that weight loss is achieved safely and sustainably,” a doctor said. (iStock)
The doctor added, “They are the ‘holy grail’ of modern-day medicine and will likely prove to have a similar impact on global health as the advent of antibiotics.”
Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, said that it’s “critically important” for the right patients to get the right treatment.
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“We believe the most effective way for seniors to be able to access and afford obesity care is to ensure that GLP-1 medicines are covered by government and commercial insurance plans,” a company spokesperson told Fox News Digital via email.
“Collaboration across the health care system is key to educating and broadening coverage of these medicines.”
Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, said that it’s “critically important” for the right patients to get the right treatment. (REUTERS/Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen/File Photo)
Federal employees have coverage through their health plans, and the VA and DOD also provide coverage, Novo Nordisk pointed out.
“Medicaid is expanding coverage on a state-by-state basis, but unfortunately, Medicare is the only outlier,” the spokesperson said.
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“It is time seniors are given the same benefits as the executive branch and legislative branch employees who manage their program.”
The company has pledged to continue its efforts to help ensure that seniors living with obesity can access coverage.
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What if your New Year’s resolution could fit inside a tote bag? Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities.
The trend is widely credited to TikTok creator Sierra Campbell, who posted about her own analog bag — containing a crossword book, portable watercolor set, Polaroid camera, planner and knitting supplies — and encouraged followers to make their own.
Her video prompted many others to share their own versions, with items like magazines, decks of cards, paints, needlepoint and puzzle books.
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“I made a bag of non-digital activities to occupy my hands instead of the phone,” said Campbell, adding that the practice has significantly cut her screen time and filled her life with “creative and communal pursuits that don’t include doom-scrolling.”
“I created the analog bag after learning the only way to change a habit is to replace it with another,” she told Fox News Digital.
Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities like cameras, notebooks and magazines. (Fox News Digital)
The science of healthier habits
Research on habit formation supports the idea of the analog bag, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics.
“Your brain is a creature of habit,” Amen said during an interview with Fox News Digital. “Neurons that fire together wire together, meaning that every time you repeat a behavior, whether it’s good or bad, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to do it again.”
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Studies show that habits are automatic responses to specific cues — such as boredom, stress or idle time — that typically deliver some kind of reward, according to the doctor. When no alternative behavior is available, people tend to fall back on the same routine, often without realizing it.
Research suggests that replacing an old habit with a new one tied to the same cue is more effective than trying to suppress the behavior altogether.
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“[When] cutting out coffee — you need to have another drink to grab for, not just quit cold turkey. It’s how the pathways in our brains work,” Campbell said.
By substituting a different routine that still provides stimulation and engagement, people can gradually weaken the original habit and build a new automatic response.
Substituting another activity instead of scrolling on your phone can help quell the impulse to reach for it. (iStock)
“Simply stopping a behavior is very challenging,” Amen said. “Replacing one habit with something that is better for your brain is much easier. That’s how lasting change happens, one step at a time.”
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If alternatives are within arm’s reach, people will be more likely to use them, the doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.”
Instead of saying, “I’ll stop scrolling today,” the doctor recommends choosing a small habit you can do in a few moments in specific situations, like knitting 10 rows of a scarf on your commute or reading a few pages of a book while waiting at the doctor’s office.
“If alternatives are within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to use them,” a brain doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.” (iStock)
Campbell shared her own examples of how to use an analog bag. At a coffee shop with friends, she said, she might pull out a crossword puzzle and ask others to help with answers when the conversation lulls.
Instead of taking dozens of photos on her phone, she uses an instant camera, which limits shots and encourages more intentional moments.
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In casual outdoor settings, such as a park or winery, she brings a small watercolor set for a quick creative outlet.
“It’s brought so much joy,” Campbell said of the analog bag trend, “seeing how it resonates with so many.”
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A deadly, drug-resistant fungus already spreading rapidly through U.S. hospitals is becoming even more threatening worldwide, though there may be hope for new treatments, according to a new scientific review.
Candida auris (C. auris), often described as a “superbug fungus,” is spreading globally and increasingly resisting human immune systems, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) researchers said in a review published in early December.
The findings reinforce prior CDC warnings that have labeled C. auris an “urgent antimicrobial threat” — the first fungal pathogen to receive that designation — as U.S. cases have surged, particularly in hospitals and long-term care centers.
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Approximately 7,000 cases were identified across dozens of U.S. states in 2025, according to the CDC, and it has reportedly been identified in at least 60 countries.
Candida auris is a drug-resistant fungus spreading in hospitals worldwide. (Nicolas Armer/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
The review, published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, helps explain why the pathogen is so difficult to contain and warns that outdated diagnostics and limited treatments lag behind. It was conducted by Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI in New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit and Dr. Michail Lionakis, chief of the clinical mycology program at the National Institutes of Health.
Their findings stress the need to develop “novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients,” the researchers said in a statement.
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“In addition, future efforts should focus on raising awareness about fungal disease through developing better surveillance mechanisms, especially in resource-poor countries,” they added. “All these developments should help improve the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections.”
Candida auris can survive on skin and hospital surfaces, allowing it to spread easily. (iStock)
First identified in 2009 from a patient’s ear sample in Japan, C. auris has since spread to dozens of countries, including the U.S., where outbreaks have forced some hospital intensive care units to shut down, according to the researchers.
The fungus poses the greatest risk to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems. Once infected, about half of patients may die, according to some estimates.
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Unlike many other fungi, C. auris can survive on human skin and cling to hospital surfaces and medical equipment, allowing it to spread easily in healthcare settings.
“It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, previously told Fox News Digital.
Scientists say the unique cell wall structure of C. auris makes it harder to kill. (iStock)
It is also frequently misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and infection control measures.
“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections,” Siegel said.
In September, he said intense research was ongoing to develop new treatments.
Only four major classes of antifungal drugs are currently available, and C. auris has already shown resistance to many of them. While three new antifungal drugs have been approved or are in late-stage trials, researchers warn that drug development has struggled to keep pace with the fungus’s evolution.
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Despite the sobering findings, there is still room for cautious optimism.
The fungus can cling to skin and hospital surfaces, aiding its spread. (iStock)
In separate research published in December, scientists at the University of Exeter in England discovered a potential weakness in C. auris while studying the fungus in a living-host model.
The team found that, during infection, the fungus activates specific genes to scavenge iron, a nutrient it needs to survive, according to their paper, published in the Nature portfolio journal Communications Biology in December.
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Because iron is essential for the pathogen, researchers believe drugs that block this process could eventually stop infections or even allow existing medications to be repurposed.
“We think our research may have revealed an Achilles’ heel in this lethal pathogen during active infection,” Dr. Hugh Gifford, a clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
New research is underway to develop better treatments and diagnostics for C. auris. (iStock)
As researchers race to better understand the fungus, officials warn that strict infection control, rapid detection and continued investment in new treatments remain critical.
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Health experts emphasize that C. auris is not a threat to healthy people.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDI researchers and additional experts for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.
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