INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — America is on the verge of a weight loss revolution. The CDC reports almost 42% of adults and 20 million children in the U.S. are obese, but the tide may be turning as new weight loss drugs are helping millions of people shed pounds faster than ever before.

Ozempic is a diabetes drug, but demand for the once-a-week shot is skyrocketing for weight loss. The active ingredient, semaglutide, has been approved by the FDA for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy, and can reduce a person’s body weight by 20%.

“The thing we have to understand about the drugs is, like anything, they’re only as good as the person using them. And it’s just another tool,” said Dr. Michael A. Snyder, a bariatric surgeon at Denver Center for Bariatric Surgery.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 inhibitor. Snyder says it works, but side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

“Kind of slows down digestion at the stomach level, which makes you full all the time and lose your hunger,” Snyder said. “That’s really what people experience.”

But it costs $1,000 a month, and people will most likely need to be on it for life.

“This is not a ‘one and done’, this is not a bootcamp for six weeks and then go on your own way,” said Snyder.

On the other hand, bariatric surgery refers to several different procedures that reshape the gastrointestinal track so it holds less food.

“Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment out there for notable severe weight loss issues,” said Snyder.

Risks include hernias, gallstones, and low blood sugar. On average, how much can people expect to lose?

“If you are 250 pounds with a bypass, you’re gonna lose about 84 pounds,” Snyder said. “A sleeve, you’re gonna lose 73.5 pounds. And medication, about 40 pounds.”

But Snyder stresses, whichever one you choose, it will only work if you’re committed to losing weight for life.

An even more powerful drug may soon be approved for weight loss and several other new medications are coming down the pipeline, but studies on these drugs only span about two years, so long-term side effects are still not known. Snyder says that in every study he’s read, the drugs are only successful long-term if you use them with a dietician who combine them with appropriate diet and behavioral changes.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.