March 2026 Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE...

• Topic of the Month: The Reality of GLP-1s: What Families Need to Know
• Tip of the Month: Thinking about GLP-1 agonists for yourself?
• Research Corner: List of scholarly research and clinical data points referenced in our Topic of the Month
• EDANZ Special General Meeting, 7pm 19 March 2026
• Seeking Occasional Pro-Bono Legal Support for EDANZ
• Feedback Corner
• Upcoming EDANZ support meetings

Greetings from all of us at EDANZ

I’ve recently been asked to take part in news stories about the rise of GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. There is no shortage of headlines out there, but because these treatments are relatively new, the long-term scientific research hasn't quite caught up yet. Today, we will touch on how these medications impact the Eating Disorder community.

We are also holding a Special General Meeting (SGM) on 19 March to update our Constitution to comply with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. You are invited to register to attend below.

Finally, we are putting a call out to our community to see whether anyone is able to offer EDANZ pro-bono legal services from time to time. Feel free to spread the word for us.

Thanks for joining me!

Andrea Bonetto – Chairperson

The Reality of GLP-1s: What Families Need to Know

GLP-1 agonists are a class of medications that mimic a natural hormone to regulate blood sugar and slow down digestion, creating a powerful and long-lasting feeling of fullness. These drugs (such as Ozempic and Wegovy) are often framed and for most, do perform as a miracle for weight loss. Here are some of the highlights of the main issues that we see from the Eating Disorder Community Perspective (scholarly references below in our “Research Corner”).

• While the weight loss is real, research reveals a more complex physical reality: without proper nutritional guidelines, up to 40% of the weight lost could actually be vital lean mass rather than body fat. This loss is concerning because muscle is essential for a healthy metabolism and is very difficult to rebuild.
• For most people, stopping the medication leads to a rapid "weight rebound," but because so much lean mass was lost in the process, the body composition and metabolic health can end up in a more fragile state than before the weight loss journey started. If these medications have been prescribed for obesity, it is important to understand that obesity is recognized as a chronic disease. Just as one would not stop taking blood pressure medication once their reading is normal, scholarly research suggests that GLP-1s may require permanent, ongoing use to maintain both weight loss and the associated improvements in heart and metabolic health.
• In the Eating Disorder Community, we know that energy deficiency can act as a direct trigger to develop or relapse into an eating disorder. Clinical experts in the International Journal of Eating Disorders warn that the intense appetite suppression of GLP-1s can "switch on" an eating disorder in those with a genetic predisposition.
• For those struggling with Binge Eating Disorder, GLP-1 medications can significantly reduce "food noise" (the constant, intrusive thoughts about eating). However, research warns that while this may stop binge cycles temporarily, the extreme appetite suppression can lead to accidental under-eating, which often triggers a biological "starvation response" and a more severe relapse once the medication is adjusted or stopped.

With all this in mind, the Eating Disorders Community in New Zealand and Australia has formally petitioned Pharmac to implement stricter prescribing guidelines. We are advocating for mandatory psychological screenings before prescribing and dietetic and psychological support alongside treatment to ensure a proper safety net is in place. Without these safeguards, there is a serious risk that these drugs will be misused as a tool for self-starvation, making the journey to recovery even more difficult for vulnerable individuals.

Thinking about GLP-1 agonists for yourself?

Do your research and never hesitate to ask your doctor these specific questions plus any others you might have:

• Experience: "What training do you have in prescribing GLP-1s, specifically for patients with a history of disordered eating or eating disorders?"
• The Physical Reality: "How will we monitor my muscle mass and metabolic health to ensure I'm not just losing vital tissue?"
• The Safety Net: "Alongside this prescription, can you give me referrals to a dietitian and a counselor to scaffold my journey?"
• Long-term Plan: If prescribed for obesity related health concerns: "Since obesity is a chronic disease, is the plan for me to be on this permanently, and what happens if I stop?"

Here is a list of the scholarly research and clinical data points referenced in our Topic of the Month.

1. Muscle Mass and Body Composition

The STEP 1 Clinical Trial (Semaglutide): Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this landmark study included a sub-study using DEXA scans which found that nearly 40% of the weight lost was lean mass (muscle and soft tissue).

• Link to STEP 1 Trial (NEJM)

The SURMOUNT-1 Clinical Trial (Tirzepatide): Also published in NEJM, this trial's body composition analysis showed that 25% of the weight lost was lean mass.

• Link to SURMOUNT-1 Trial (NEJM)

When reading further into these studies, the subjects have lost more fat than muscle mass; however, of their overall loss, about 40% was lean mass, whereas within an unmedicated energy deficient meal plan, a person also loses lean mass but it is usually about 25% of the total weight loss. The lean mass loss seems to be greater with Semaglutides (Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) than with Tirzepatide, another class of weight loss drug (Mounjaro, etc.), but it is all early days.

2. The "Weight Rebound" and Metabolic Health

Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2022): "Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension." Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

This study tracked participants after they stopped the medication and found they regained two-thirds of their lost weight within a year.

• Link to STEP 1 Extension (PubMed)

3. Eating Disorders and "Food Noise"

Bartel, S., et al. (2024/2025): "Beyond Weight Loss: GLP-1 Usage and Appetite Regulation in the Context of Eating Disorders." International Journal of Eating Disorders/MDPI.

This research discusses how these drugs can reinforce "rigid control" and perfectionistic traits, potentially triggering restrictive eating disorders.

• Link to Bartel et al. Research (MDPI)

The National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC): Their 2025-2026 evidence review outlines how appetite suppression can lead to "accidental restriction," which then triggers the biological urge to binge (the starvation response).

• Link to NEDC Resource on GLP-1s

You are invited

to the EDANZ SGM

at 7pm, Thursday 19 March 2026

held via Zoom

The Incorporated Societies Act 2022 requires all societies to reregister by 5 April 2026 to remain an incorporated society. This is necessary for EDANZ so that we retain our charitable status.

As part of the reregistration process, we are ensuring our Constitution is compliant with the 2022 Act. At the SGM we will be seeking the following:

• Formal approval to reregister EDANZ as an incorporated society
• Approval of the new Constitution
• Election of Board Members and contact person (Secretary)

If you would like to join us at the SGM, please email the Secretary to register and we will send you the meeting pack and Zoom link ahead of 19 March.

Register for SGM

Seeking Legal Support for EDANZ

We’re reaching out to our community to see if anyone may be able to support EDANZ with occasional pro-bono legal advice. From time to time we need contracts or other documents reviewed, and having access to trusted legal expertise would make a real difference to our work.

If you are able to help, or know someone in your network who might be willing to assist, we would love to hear from you. 

Please get in touch with us at info@ed.org.nz

“Thank you for the advice. All of the information in the email is really good to have. I really appreciate all the effort you put into this area as it is so hard to navigate through as a parent and a health professional. It takes a village, even if we have to make it ourselves. Thank you for what you do”

- North Island parent

If EDANZ helped you or you have any suggestions on what we can do better, please email us at: info@ed.org.nz

We’d love to hear from you.

Join the EDANZ Helpline: Supporting Others on the Journey

The EDANZ helpline is a vital lifeline for families navigating the complexities of eating disorders. We are currently looking for volunteers to join us in providing support and guidance. If you have supported a loved one through an eating disorder and feel ready to give back, your lived experience is incredibly valuable. By joining our team, you can offer hope and understanding to those who are now walking the path you once travelled.

We welcome any amount of time you can offer, and every hour of support makes a profound difference for our community. Your unique perspective allows you to connect with families in a way that truly matters. If you would like to help us ensure that no one faces this challenge alone, please get in touch with us. We would love to discuss how you can contribute to this rewarding mission.

Get in touch

Upcoming support group meetings

EDANZ believes parents/carers have unique abilities to support one another and we hold regular meetings to which you are warmly invited. Currently, we're joining together around the country on the first Wednesday of every month thanks to videoconferencing technology. 

If you would like to participate in a virtual support group, please RSVP to info@ed.org.nz and we'll send you the link.

Upcoming meetings:  

• Wednesday, 1 April at 8pm
• Wednesday, 6 May at 8pm

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