[bsder]

Getting weight off temporarily is generally helpful for getting weight off permanently.

For someone who is 100+ pounds overweight, losing a big chunk of that has a whole set of knock on effects (lower appetite, ability to actually exercise without pain, more general energy, fewer depressive episodes, etc.), that help make permanent weight loss a lot more achievable. In addition, semaglutide can be tried before a doctor would normally do a gastric bypass (and probably makes that operation a lot easier even if it doesn't completely work).

And, before you go blaming everyone that their dietary choices are their own fault, do be aware that the total number of fat cells is highly conserved in the human body. In addition, fat cells "remember" the weight when they were created and only turn over at about 20-25% per year. If you were obese in adolescence and teenage years due to the habits your parents taught you, that can be really difficult to correct as an adult.

Sure, these kinds of drugs are wrong for losing those 20 pounds that you should remove via diet, some extra exercise and some lifestyle changes. Yeah, a lot of people are stupidly using these drugs from dumb reasons instead of what they should be using them for.

That doesn't make the drugs useless.