Lolland project to test free weight-loss medication for 100 residents with severe obesity

One hundred residents with severe obesity in Lolland Municipality are taking part in a two-year project that provides free weight-loss medication and lifestyle support, with the goal of determining whether the investment reduces public healthcare costs and increases employment, Danish broadcaster DR reported.

Participants receive free weight-loss medication along with physical training and dietary guidance. The project is initially funded by Den Sociale Kapitalfond, with pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk also contributing. If the project proves cost-effective, Lolland Municipality and Region Zealand will repay the investment.

“The aim is to give the 100 citizens in Lolland a better and healthier life,” said Jan Kanne, innovation chief at Zealand University Hospital. “And at the same time give them the opportunity to either maintain their connection to the labour market or enter the labour market, which they could not before.”

Lolland has one of the highest rates of severe obesity in Denmark — more than one in four residents, compared with just under one in five nationally. According to the Danish Health Authority, obesity-related illnesses cause 1.4 million extra visits to general practitioners each year and roughly the same number of long-term sick days, with nearly 500,000 outpatient contacts or hospital admissions due to severe obesity.

Two participants described their experiences. Lena Weiss Laugesen, who has tried numerous diets, said she could already walk longer without leg pain after nearly four months on the programme. Michael Falkland said he had previously tried avoiding sweets and cakes or nearly starving himself, but “it never works.”

Jens Meldgaard Bruun, professor and medical director of the National Centre for Obesity, called the project “exciting.” He noted it would provide real-world evidence on how the medication works, its effect on comorbidities, healthcare contacts, and employment. Bruun has received about 72,000 kroner from Novo Nordisk for teaching on severe obesity in the past two years, as well as funding from competitor Eli Lilly; he stated he does not consider himself conflicted.

The project’s ambition is to expand the model to other municipalities and regions. A white paper from Novo Nordisk titled “Vision for a Healthier Denmark” argues that targeted investment in combating severe obesity can save public money through reduced healthcare visits, lower sick leave, and higher employment.