Ozempic vs Indian food culture: Doctor explains the limits

India’s growing conversation around Ozempic sits at a tricky crossroads, between rising obesity rates and a food culture built on flavour, family, and celebration. As weight-loss injections gain attention for their quick results, doctors are urging caution against viewing them as a one-stop solution. How do these drugs actually work? Who should use them and who shouldn’t? And could their popularity distract us from the harder work of fixing diets and lifestyles?
In an exclusive interview with TOI, Dr. Girish Parmar, Director, Endocrinology & Diabetology at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, breaks down the science, the risks, and the reality behind Ozempic in the Indian context.

Dr. Girish Parmar: These injections are prescribed to a select population based on a range of health parameters and comorbidities, one of which is diabetes. So it is not fit to be taken by everyone who is battling weight gain. The medication, to explain in laymen terms, leads to early fullness and thus substantially reduces calorie intake. Individuals on medication experience reduction in fat and muscle mass both, therefore they are advised to increase their protein intake and physical exercise to maintain the muscle mass. The objective is to replace the unhealthy fat with muscle mass to achieve a healthy weight loss. However, the injection itself is not a magic pill, it needs to be supported with diet control and exercise so individuals with a rich food culture as India, also need to be wary of that.

Dr. Girish Parmar: Yes, it is a big concern, especially the section of obese individuals who eye the medication as a quick solution to all their problems. People should know that there are no shortcuts to achieving a healthy weight-loss and even the drug label reads that 80% of the weight-loss can be reversed when the medication is stopped. Even individuals on the drug need to maintain a healthy protein rich diet and support the medication and diet with exercise to help the body build muscle mass.

Dr. Girish Parmar: The usage of the drug in India is fairly new and as a result we are only aware of the short-term side-effects of the drug. As of this date, we are aware that off-label use for individuals who haven’t been prescribed the drug can lead to increased occurrence of gallstones, increase the risk of pancreatitis and in some diabetic patients, retinopathy can be a contraindication. With time, we may also discover other risks of off-label usage but for now, we can advise people not to take the drug without consulting with an endocrinologist or diabetologist.

Dr. Girish Parmar: At present, tirzepatide or Mounjaro is the only alternative to Ozempic. However, the drug’s patent is scheduled to expire in March 2026 post which we may see many Indian alternatives or generic drugs for Ozempic.

Dr. Girish Parmar: Yes as we discussed earlier, no medication should be used as a quick fix for obesity or related comorbidities. Rather it can be risky to use the medication, without being prescribed by a trained endocrinologist or diabetologist and it can lead to severe health complications, many of which we are still learning. The core usage of the drug is to manage diabetes and if you are on the drug, ensure you support it with a healthy protein rich diet and exercise.