Former Nickelodeon star’s viral TikTok sparks debate over whether weight-loss drug Ozempic is a ‘trap’

Former Nickelodeon child star Josh Peck sparked a debate with his viral TikTok over whether weight loss drugs like Ozempic were considered cheating.

Peck’s TikTok started a debate comparing “natural” versus “artificial” paths to losing weight, raising the question: Are those who use weight loss medications to accelerate their loss “cheating” to achieve their goals?

He 10 second clipwhich has since garnered 21.5 million views, was titled “When You Lose 100 Pounds Naturally, Then Ozempic.”

RICKI LAKE DOES 30 LB WEIGHT LOSS STUDENT: ‘I FEEL AMAZING’

In the video, Peck is seen on camera reciting the lyrics to “Rose’s Turn” from the musical “Gypsy” in the video, lip-syncing: “All that work, and what did it get me? Why did I do it?” .

More than 11,000 users weighed in and praised the “Oppenheimer” actor’s natural journey toward weight loss. One comment with more than 230,000 likes said: “No, no. You did it the right way and you don’t have [a] Ozempic’s strange face. Thank you.”

Another user’s comment with over 120,000 likes wrote: “Ozempic comes with 1000 numbers, you did it right.”

An additional user’s comment that garnered over 50,000 interactions read: “You changed lifestyle, which creates lasting change. Once Ozempic [halts]the weight goes back up.”

“The way you did it came[s] with [an] additional useful life,” echoed another user.

‘MIKE & MOLLY’ STAR BILLY GARDELL SHARES SECRET TO MAINTAINING 170 POUND WEIGHT LOSS

Antidiabetic drug Ozempic (semaglutide) manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. (JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Pew Research Center, “Four in ten American adults have obesity and there has been a significant increase in the proportion of Americans with this disease over the past two decades.”

Of Americans familiar with weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, only 12% reported that these prescriptions are viable alternatives for people who want to lose weight, while 62% said these medications are not a good solution for who do not have a medical condition and are on a weight loss journey.

Dr. Sahar Takkouche, a bariatrician and associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, he told USA Today“No one is cheating by using Ozempic. They are using some of today’s modern tools to help them achieve a healthier lifestyle, which doesn’t mean, quote, underweight. It means less fat around the body, which means “which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other problems.”

NUTRITIONIST RAISES THE ALARM ABOUT THE VIRAL TREND THAT GLORIFIES AN EXTREME HIGH CALORIE DIET: ‘TIMING BOMB FOR DIABETES’

Obesity, unhealthy weight. Nutritionist inspecting a woman’s waist using a tape measure to prescribe a weight loss diet (iStock)

While prescriptions like Ozempic and Mounjaro were approved to treat diabetes, Wegovy and Zepbound were approved to treat obesity. Despite their opposing purposes as stated by the FDA, Zepbound and Mounjaro are tirzepatides, while Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutides.

Semaglutides help “release the pancreas.” the right amount of insulin“if the blood sugar level is high, while tirzepatides work”reduce appetite“.

He Ozempic official website states that the drug “is not approved by the FDA for chronic weight loss or weight management.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Many assume that using weight loss medications could be “cheating,” as some assume that these medications imply a lack of need for weight loss basics such as diet and exercise.

Takkouche said: “You need to have a proper diet and exercise in addition to taking these medications. They do not replace each other.”