Weight loss jab revolution must not obscure one basic reality about obesity

are the gift that just keeps giving. Developed to treat type 2 , they have been found to slash risk of everything from to . Excitement about a dawning "golden age" of treatments was tangible this week at the European Congress on Obesity.

At a sprawling conference centre in Malaga, Spain, top researchers from across the globe gathered to share their latest advancements. There were studies on prevention and risk factors, and how to better support people living with excess weight. But the stand-out topic was undoubtedly weight loss drugs.

One expert told me over a glass of sangria that it was refreshing to hear about so much progress in the treatment of , with a noticeable shift during the last year from talking about the scale of the problem to a sense that something can be done about it.

Alongside trying to slash waiting lists and reduce A&E delays, the NHS is grappling with how to safely roll out the drugs at scale while ensuring patients are properly supported.

The approach of prescribing them through specialist weight management services is sensible, but will not allow provision to be scaled up as quickly as experts would like. Global supply constraints are also a limiting factor.

Cheaper and more convenient forms of the drugs will solve some of these challenges in the coming years.

Lilly recently announced results from a 40-week study of its daily weight loss pill, orforglipron, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Those on the highest dose typically lost 7.2kg of their body weight, and two thirds brought their blood sugar levels below the threshold for diabetes.

Amid such breakthroughs, we should remember that prevention is always better than cure. That's the reality. Work must continue to help people avoid becoming overweight in the first place.

Some may take the moralistic view that we should not hand out drugs like candy to people who could lose weight through diet and exercise.

But with two thirds of Brits overweight or obese, we are in an obesity epidemic. When a true wonder drug exists that could give millions a helping hand, surely we must deploy it as quickly as possible?

As this health revolution gathers pace, we may have to rethink how we refer to these medications. Are they really "weight loss" drugs if their benefits cannot be explained by weight loss alone?

Perhaps we need to start calling them anti-ageing or longevity drugs instead.