Comment by JumpCrisscross

> In meta-analyses there is weight regain which is steeper as more weight is lost during treatment

What does "steeper" mean? The studies I've seen show a net weight loss, even after regain, for the median patient.

> The weight regain seems to be rather slow, it can take years until the baseline weight is reached

Maybe. Right now, however, the evidence shows solid effects outside clinical settings. Your original statement was wrong–your sources own refute the claim.

If you're arguing the effects in the real world haven't consistently been as ridiculous as they were in clinical trials, sure, you get a brownie point. But broadly speaking, these drugs are terrifically effective, both when taken for life and when taken intermittently.