A pharmacist shared her biggest 'ick' myths influencers use while discussing weight loss jabs - including one common myth she hates to see.

Nadia Malik, 41, has been a pharmacist for over 15 years and worked with diabetes patients taking GLP-1 jabs long before they hit the mainstream market for weight loss.

Nadia, from Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, has seen their popularity explode - which she said is a great thing for reducing obesity in the UK.

But she said with popularity has come misconceptions - and often these are led by people sharing incorrect information online - especially influencers.

She said certain phrases and narratives give her the 'ick' - because they have no truth behind them.

One of these is influencers saying "I'm just sharing my journey" - after giving potentially incorrect medical advice."

Another is saying "eat less, move more" - as it sounds helpful - but it won't tackle the the root cause of obesity, which she says is a poor relationship with food."

Nadia, who runs @theprescribeddose on TikTok, said: "I can't believe how many people are on GLP1s now - we've never seen them on this scale before."

"I see it as positive, because people having access to these meds is a good thing when the NHS spends so much money dealing with the complications of obesity."

"But I can't deny they sometimes give me the ick!"

Nadia's first 'ick' is when people refer to GLP1s as 'cheating' despite the proven benefits when used correctly.

She argues there "are no medals for who suffers the most" when it comes to weight loss."

She said: "Obesity is a long-term chronic condition, so why are people referring to evidence-based medication as 'cheating'?."

Nadia said weight loss jab nay-sayers also say "eat less, move more" - implying that's an easier way of losing weight."

She finds this an 'ick' as it cuts out many people whose weight is due to "food noise" which, she says, eating less and moving more won't tackle."

She said: "Obesity is multifactorial, and in a way, that's what these medications do - make you eat less so you can move more."

"They turn down the volume on 'food noise', giving people the headspace to tackle the real issue: their relationship with food."

She said influencers give her the 'ick' when they share medical advice under the guise of 'sharing their journey'.

She said: "Why do influencers think they're qualified to offer medical advice, telling people how to take the medication differently from guidance, yet won't accept responsibility if something goes wrong?"

"Instead, they hide behind cringe-worthy disclaimers. "

"I've been driving for over 20 years. Does that qualify me to fix your brakes?"

Nadia said she has seen discourse online to suggest that where in your body you inject - which leg, or in an arm - can affect your weight loss.

She said this has no evidence for it - because it is a 'subcutaneous' injection - to be absorbed into your bloodstream via the tissues, not to target specific body parts.

She said: "Shall I tell you a secret? Injecting in your arm doesn't help get rid of your bingo wings."

Nadia added another misconception circulated online is 'the higher the dose, the more weight you lose'.

She explained that's "not how pharmacology works" at all - and it's actually more ideal to aim to stay on lower doses."

She said: "Why isn't anyone in this much of a rush to increase their statin or blood pressure medication?"

"It would make my life a lot easier!"

Nadia wishes to eradicate the 'ick' phrases from discourse - as she has seen first-hand how life-changing the jabs can be, when used properly.

She said: "Don't misunderstand me - these medications are genuinely life-changing and a great tool for supporting millions of people to improve their quality of life."

"There is a lot of unnecessary stigma around living with obesity, and having to face further barriers when trying to access support does not help."

"However, we need to address the elephant in the room - how did we get into a situation where over 60% of adults in the UK are either overweight or living with obesity?"

"Treatment has its place and should be readily available to those who need it, but we need more focus on prevention."

NADIA'S GLP1 'ICK' PHRASES:
- "Using a GLP1 is cheating"
- "Eat less, move more!"
- "I'm just sharing my journey"
- "Where you inject affects how much weight you lose"
- "The higher the dose, the more weight you lose"