What’s The Skinny? (An Oped On Ozempic And Weight Loss Culture)

By Samya Rosario

In an era where social standards change every day, there’s no true definition of pretty or ugly, or even fat and skinny. 2025 was already a hectic year. The war on street drugs and medical prescription drugs grows every day, but none like Ozempic.

Ozempic is an injectable medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the body and lead to heart disease, kidney problems and nerve damage. Diabetes is one of those silent but deadly diseases.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

My grandmother, Gisela Muñoz, is a Dominican woman who migrated to the U.S. in 1968 and raised her family as a single mother in Uptown New York. She came from a large family, one of 21 grandchildren, rooted in a country filled with connection, culture and community, yet arrived in a place where everything felt unfamiliar and foreign.

Growing up as a Dominican in Manhattan, however, created a sense of belonging. Washington Heights (my hometown) became a home away from home, where Dominicans built one of the strongest and most vibrant communities in the city.

Through food, playing dominoes and shared traditions, that feeling of loneliness slowly began to disappear. Walking down the block to grab native dishes like “moro,” “mangú,” “mofongo,” “morir soñando” and “chimis” brought comfort and familiarity, making a new country feel a little more like home.

However, our people enjoy these foods at a price, as their frequent consumption can increase caloric intake and raise blood sugar levels.

In 2021, Latino adults were “81% more likely than U.S. adults overall to develop kidney failure caused by diabetes,” according to a study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Although my grandma is a type 1 diabetic (which means she was a child when her pancreas stopped working) with moderate diabetes, she must inject herself with Ozempic biweekly to regulate her levels.

She knows the medication is helping to control her blood sugar, but she’s also noticed that it has some weird side effects.

“I don’t like to use Ozempic frequently because I lose my appetite and it makes me too skinny, like unhealthily skinny,” she said in her rhythmic Spanish that I had to translate.

In recent years, people have normalized using prescribed Ozempic to lose weight because when used, it can decrease cravings through GLP-1, a natural hormone your body uses to tell your brain your stomach is full. This can cause you to consume less food.

When diabetics use Ozempic and other GLP-1 injectables like Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro, it slows down digestion and prevents sugar spikes.

Personally, I can see why some people might go this route, but the truth is that Ozempic is not a fat-burning shortcut. It is appetite suppression with hormones resulting in not-so-pleasant side effects: frequent nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain.

According to Harvard Health, out of 1,000 people taking Ozempic, almost 70% complained of gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, etc. and almost 17% of the visits were for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition).

So, how far will Barry students go to become skinny? After interviewing 10 Barry students, I was intrigued by some of the answers.

Xaria Wynn, a junior majoring in nursing, feels that Ozempic itself isn’t the problem but the people who are abusing it for the wrong reasons are.

Thamerah Sajousm a junior majoring in kinesiology, knew of Ozempic only as a weight loss drug and was surprised to hear of its primary use.

“Using things like that, kind of take away from the fact that you need to build muscle and stuff, so you can’t like really use that your whole life because either way you need to go the gym to build muscle,” she said.

Kaleb Ogar, a sophomore majoring in computer science, also has firsthand knowledge about the drug since his relatives utilize it — but for the weight loss benefits.

“I think Ozempic is very good for people who are trying to lose weight,” he said. “My family uses it because they can’t go to the gym and I’ve seen great results when it comes to losing weight.”

I went deeper, though, because I wanted to know if he had seen evidence of any of the adverse side effects in his loved ones.

“Honestly, yeah,” he said. “I have seen a decline in their activity, they don’t have as much energy, they act a little bit differently and, of course, nausea, they get more headaches, too. I don’t know if that’s a problem with Ozempic or them, but I have seen it.”

The high cost of prescribed Ozempic, especially without insurance, pushes many individuals to seek alternative routes such as telehealth services, weight loss clinics, compounded versions, or even unsafe unofficial sources.

Ultimately, the growing demand for Ozempic reflects a deeper societal pressure to attain certain body standards, often at any cost. This raises an important question not just about the drug itself, but about the culture surrounding weight loss and the risks people are willing to take in pursuit of it.

Ariana Rosa, a junior majoring in kinesiology, said she chooses to embrace herself as she comes.

“I don't really want to go far when it comes to beauty standards, the most I'll do is my hair and nails,” she said. “Imma be me, if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.”

Beauty is subjective; it comes in different colors, attributes, shapes and sizes. Asking yourself how far you're willing to pursue beauty standards shows if you prioritize yourself or the world.