I step into the small windowless room at the University of Manitoba’s health sciences building, where research assistant Melissa Chen adjusts the eye-tracking headset on my face. In front of me, a screen displays food images that will flash by in milliseconds – too fast for conscious processing, but not too fast for my brain to register.
“Just look at the screen naturally,” Chen instructs. “We’re measuring how your eyes respond to different food cues.”
I’m participating in a groundbreaking Canadian study examining how medications like Ozempic might be changing not just our bodies, but our relationship with food at a neurological level. As rates of Ozempic prescriptions surge across Canada – with nearly 2.9 million prescriptions dispensed in 2023 according to IQVIA Canada data – researchers are racing to understand the broader implications.
Dr. Natalie Riediger, nutritional epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Manitoba, leads this novel research program investigating how GLP-1 medications affect food perception. “These medications were originally developed for diabetes management, but their dramatic effects on weight loss have transformed how we approach obesity treatment,” she explains during our interview in her office, where bookshelves overflow with nutrition journals and public health texts.
What makes this study particularly significant is its focus on the marketing aspects of hunger. While pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk have invested millions in direct-to-consumer advertising in the U.S., Canadian regulations have created a different landscape for how these drugs enter public consciousness.
“In Canada, we don’t allow direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription medications the way the U.S. does,” explains Dr. Riediger. “But social media and celebrity culture don’t respect borders. Canadians are being exposed to messaging about these medications through unofficial channels, and we want to understand how that shapes expectations and experiences.”
The eye-tracking technology I’m testing is just one component of a multi-phase study. Participants who use Ozempic or similar GLP-1 receptor agonists will undergo these tests before starting medication and at several intervals afterward. The technology measures pupil dilation, gaze patterns, and attention spans when viewing various food images – from ultra-processed snacks to whole foods.
Emily Grafton began taking semaglutide (Ozempic’s active ingredient) eight months ago for Type 2 diabetes. She volunteered for the study after noticing profound changes in her food preferences.
“Before Ozempic, I couldn’t walk past a bakery without going in,” she tells me when we meet at a campus café after my testing session. “Now, the smell of fried foods sometimes makes me nauseated. It’s like my brain has been rewired. I’m curious if that will show up in their tests.”
This potential “rewiring” is exactly what Dr. Joel Goncalves, neuroscientist and co-investigator on the study, finds most intriguing. “GLP-1 receptor agonists appear to act on brain regions associated with reward and cravings,” he explains while showing me brain imaging samples in the lab. “But we don’t fully understand the long-term implications of this neurological intervention.”
The University of Manitoba study sits at a critical intersection of pharmaceutical innovation, marketing ethics, and public health. With Health Canada reporting a 300% increase in semaglutide prescriptions since 2020, understanding the broader societal impacts becomes increasingly urgent.
Dr. Riediger emphasizes that their research isn’t anti-medication but aims to provide context for public health messaging. “These medications represent a significant advancement for many patients, particularly those with diabetes or clinical obesity. But we need to understand how marketing – both official and unofficial – shapes patient expectations and experiences.”
The study has already enrolled 175 participants and aims to include 500 by completion. Initial findings suggest significant changes in how participants perceive food advertising after starting medication.
“One preliminary pattern we’re seeing is that participants report less emotional response to food commercials after starting GLP-1 medications,” says research coordinator Kyla Hammond. “Many describe watching food ads with a new detachment – they can recognize the food looks appealing intellectually, but don’t feel the same visceral desire.”
This finding has potential implications for both the food industry and pharmaceutical marketing. If medications like Ozempic change how consumers respond to food advertising, both industries may need to adapt their approaches.
The Canadian context offers a unique perspective on this phenomenon. Unlike the U.S., where Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly can advertise their weight loss medications directly to consumers (though with regulatory restrictions), Canadian pharmaceutical marketing relies more heavily on healthcare provider education and public relations.
Dr. Svetlana Ievleva, health economist at the University of British Columbia who isn’t involved in the Manitoba study, notes this Canadian difference creates both challenges and opportunities for research. “The Canadian regulatory environment gives us a chance to study how these medications integrate into clinical practice without the same direct consumer pressure,” she explained in a phone interview. “The Manitoba study will help us understand subtle marketing influences even in our more restricted environment.”
Back in the testing lab, I complete my session by answering detailed questionnaires about my eating habits and exposure to weight loss medication advertising. Though I’m participating as a non-medication user for the control group, the experience makes me reflect on how my own food perceptions are shaped by media and marketing.
“We hope this research helps people make more informed decisions about these medications,” Dr. Riediger says as we conclude our interview. “Whether you’re a healthcare provider, a policy maker, or someone considering medication for weight management, understanding the cognitive and perceptual effects matters.”
As Ozempic and similar medications continue transforming treatment approaches for diabetes and obesity in Canada, studies like this one will help ensure we understand not just the physiological impacts, but the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions as well.
For Emily Grafton, who continues to use Ozempic for her diabetes management, this understanding can’t come soon enough. “I’m grateful for how it’s helped my health,” she says, “but I sometimes wonder who I am now that food doesn’t occupy the same space in my brain. If this research helps others prepare for that shift, that’s incredibly valuable.”
