GP warns 'weight loss drug users' to 'avoid or reduce' these foods over Christmas

A doctor has issued a warning for people using weight loss drugs over the festive period.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million people in the UK are using weight loss medications, as of 2024/early 2025. And while there's nothing wrong with overindulging over Christmas, which is what many of us do, weight loss jab users are at risk of experiencing certain side effects from certain foods.

Dr Crystal Wyllie, an NHS GP, told the Daily Mail that 'rich, high-fat or very sugary foods can cause problems at any time of year because the drugs slow stomach emptying'.

"When the digestive system is already moving more slowly, heavy festive foods can sit in the stomach for longer than usual," the online doctor, at private healthcare provider Zava, said.

People using weight loss medication need to be mindful of what they have on their Christmas dinner this year (Getty Stock Image)

She warned that side effects can include 'bloating, reflux, wind, sulphur burps, nausea, diarrhoea and occasionally vomiting'.

By 'avoiding or reducing the amount of these trigger foods', Dr Wyllie says will reduce your chances of stomach issues.

So, what exactly are these 'trigger foods'?

Pigs in blankets

The doctor recommends to go easy on the pigs in blankets (Getty Stock Images)

Although Dr Wyllie acknowledged how 'gutted' people will be to hear that pigs and blankets are on the list, she pointed out how they 'are high in fat and salt, which sit heavily in the stomach when digestion is slowed by GLP-1 medications'.

"The double-fat combination of sausage and bacon often worsens nausea and vomiting," the health expert warns.

Roast potatoes cooked in goose fat

If you like to look at recipes on TikTok, you've most likely seen a load on how to cook the best roast potatoes.

Often, food influencers say that cooking them in goose or duck fat is what makes them taste that extra special.

There are more healthier ways to cook roasties (Getty Stock Images)

However, Dr Wyllie said: "Goose fat is extremely rich, and high-fat foods take longer to leave the stomach, something jab users are already prone to.

"This can lead to an uncomfortable 'food sitting' feeling and sudden queasiness after eating."

Large portions of meat

"Dense protein requires significant digestive effort, and large servings can overwhelm the slowed gastric emptying caused by these medications," she said.

"This often leads to discomfort or nausea after a big meal, which can occasionally cause vomiting."

Some Christmas meal foods are worse than others (Getty Stock Images)

Soft cheeses

The richness in soft cheeses can 'overwhelm the stomach quickly, even in small amounts', Dr Wyllie adds.

For people who take weight loss jabs, it can 'cause immediate queasiness'.

Brandy butter

"It is almost entirely made up of fat and sugar, the two biggest triggers for weight loss jab-related digestive upset," she said.

People who use weight loss drugs have been told to 'avoid or reduce' certain foods (Getty Stock Images)

Yule log

The Christmas dessert, essentially a chocolate sponge cake rolled into a log filled with cream, can cause issues for weight loss drug users, even in small amounts.

"It is dense, chocolate-heavy, and often filled with rich cream, which makes it slow to digest and very sweet, two things GLP-1 users are typically sensitive to," she said.

"The quick sugar spike, followed by the richness, even in small slices can cause discomfort after a meal."