'Ghost Fat' Psychological Side Effect Emerging Among GLP-1 Drug Users

Executive Briefing

• Reveals 'ghost fat' or 'phantom fat' causes dramatic weight-loss patients to still perceive themselves as having a larger body
• Affects GLP-1 drug users and bariatric surgery patients alike, with distorted self-image persisting up to 30 months post-weight-loss
• Triggers behavioral remnants such as grabbing oversized clothing, checking chair widths, and navigating spaces as if still larger
• Highlights GLP-1 drugs cause 50% muscle loss versus 25% with diet and exercise, altering how the body re-equilibrates
• Experts note symptoms resolve over time as the brain gradually adapts to the body's new physical reality