Kelly Clarkson revealed this week that two in five American adults have used weight-loss drugs. The admission came after months of questioning about her transformation, which she initially attributed to walking around New York City.
“I wasn't going to talk about this,” she said. The Kelly Clarkson Show On May 13, while discussing Whoopi Goldberg's use of weight-loss drugs, Clarkson told her guest that she ended up using the drug, too: “Everybody thinks it's Ozempic, but it's not. It's something else. But it's something that helps break down sugar. Obviously, my body doesn't do a good job with that.”
Though Clarkson wasn't pressured to reveal her weight loss methods, her confession raises the question: Do celebrities have an obligation to tell the public that they're using drugs to help them lose weight? What are the consequences for doing or not doing so? Here, experts weigh in on whether and why confessions from stars are necessary.
Do celebrities have a shared responsibility?
Dr. Kira Bobinet, a physician and behavior change specialist, says patients, famous or not, are under no obligation to share their medical information or treatment with anyone other than their doctor, but she believes talking about weight loss as a public figure and leaving out details about how they achieved it can have negative repercussions.
“Just as celebrities don't have to reveal every cosmetic procedure they have done to look their best, they're also under no obligation to disclose their use of weight-loss drugs,” Bobinet tells Yahoo Life. “If celebrities talk about losing weight through healthy habits, they should be sure to add context that they use weight-loss drugs so that fans and viewers have realistic expectations.”
Oprah Winfrey, a longtime advocate of the Weight Watchers weight loss program, did just that when she revealed to People magazine that she uses weight-loss drugs to help her keep the weight off. She spoke about her experience.
Rachel Goldman, a psychologist who works in weight management and obesity treatment, says this openness is expected in nearly every area of celebrities' lives, a result of parasocial relationships — relationships one-sidedly formed with famous people they don't know personally. “When it comes to weight, it's even more complicated because it's based on appearance,” she tells Yahoo Life. “We see people losing weight, and because our society is so focused on thinness, appearance, and image, the next question is, 'How did they do it?'”
Allie Duvall, senior program development lead at virtual eating disorder treatment program Equip Health, tells Yahoo Life that this is nothing new.
“Celebrities have long welcomed discussion about their appearance and body transformation, and Ozempic's time is no exception,” she says. “What should have been a conversation between a patient and a healthcare professional quickly became a hot topic for interviews and a source of expert opinion that viewers could internalize.”
But celebrities aren't obligated to be honest. “It's their own personal life, their own health journey, their own body, and they don't have to be honest.” [disclose]”Publicizing this information will help us better understand the role they play,” Goldman says, but their role in society also needs to be taken into account when considering the impact of such revelations.
Why does this matter?
Experts say there are mixed opinions about celebrities sharing their experiences with weight-loss drugs.
“Celebrity confessions can support efforts to reduce stigma by raising public awareness of obesity, modeling behavior, and creating openness about talking about obesity and seeking help when needed,” Dr. Mary Jacobson, a physician and chief medical advisor at women's health platform Hello Alpha, tells Yahoo Life.[They] It also plays an educational role by increasing public knowledge about symptoms and available treatments, and correcting misconceptions.”
Their candor may also help normalize the use of these drugs and help people struggling with weight and weight-related health issues feel less alone, Goldman said.
But the problem with celebrities using or discussing weight-loss drugs is that they may reinforce society's values of thinness and invite harmful comparisons, while leaving the drugs inaccessible to many who need them. Many people don't disclose whether they have underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, that necessitate their use of weight-loss drugs.
“When people with large platforms talk about weight loss, regardless of their intentions, many people take it as a sign that they too will pursue the same change, often at all costs,” Duvall says. “We systematically treat weight as a moral compass, and as a result we feel collectively pressured to pursue and encourage weight loss regardless of other health indicators.”
Bobinet agrees, saying, “Celebrities' good looks and weight loss are easy bait for attention because our brains naturally want to track, compare and even emulate the behavior of those in higher social status. Today, having access to and being able to buy these drugs is an economic privilege…. Unlike showing off the latest designer bag, health privilege is often a matter of life and death.”
Clarkson and Winfrey haven't revealed what medications they take, but Goldman says that might help cut down on the comparisons. [the specific medication] “It doesn't matter. If it works for them, that's all we need to know. And it's not helpful because what works for them doesn't necessarily work for you,” she says. “But it is helpful for celebrities and people who are in the public eye to come forward and say, 'I suffer too. You're not alone. I've had to get treatment too.' That's a really powerful message.”
