What is the advantage to adopting HOTs early?

Nations that mobilize HOTs adoption earliest will, other things equal, have healthier and more productive workforces, lower public healthcare and disability spending, higher tax revenues from productivity gains, reduced criminal justice costs from lower addiction rates, and populations better able to navigate the other disruptive technological transitions in AI, energy, transportation, and food that are arriving simultaneously.

At the individual level, the case for early adoption is primarily about cumulative health gains. The biological damage caused by obesity such as cardiovascular scarring, joint degradation, neurological inflammation, and cancer risk accumulation, is not fully reversible. The sooner an individual achieves better metabolic health, the more of this cumulative damage is prevented rather than merely slowed. HOTs may also prevent and help treat addiction to various substances and harmful behaviors which would also improve quality of life and increase healthspan.

For people in middle age, the anti-aging and rejuvenation dimension is particularly pronounced. Sarcopenia and obesity together form the self-reinforcing trap of less muscle means lower metabolic rate and reduced mobility, which accelerates fat gain and further muscle loss. Breaking out of this trap at 50 has far greater long-term consequences than breaking out of it at 70.

Explore the evidence...

• At the individual level, the case for early adoption is primarily about cumulative health gains. 
  • Read about the full health implications of HOTs and the conditions they address in our Rethinking Health report.
  • Explore the health implications of HOTs for physical resilience and military readiness.

• The benefits of early adoption extend far beyond individual health into the economy at large. A leaner, healthier, more physically capable population generates returns in the most unexpected places. When tens of millions of people lose significant weight, airlines carry less weight across billions of passenger miles saving tens of millions of gallons of fuel, hundreds of millions of dollars, and hundreds of thousands of metric tons of CO2 annually. 
  • Discover the aviation dividend from widespread HOT adoption and what it reveals about the broader economic returns of early action.

• At the national level, the report draws an analogy to industrialization. Nations that mobilize HOT adoption earliest will have healthier, more productive, and longer-lived populations within a decade. This is a competitive advantage that compounds over time in workforce output, public finances, and geopolitical influence. Every year of delay is another year of avoidable obesity-related death, suffering, and economic loss at a scale that, when quantified, is almost incomprehensible.
  • Read about the geopolitical implications of differential HOT adoption and why early-moving nations will pull ahead.
    

Witness the transformation

We are entering a new era of healthcare based on a categorically different kind of medicine whose purpose is not just to save us from illness, but to help us be the best version of ourselves.

The next generation of HOTs will trigger a multi-trillion-dollar global disruption, affecting dozens of industries across multiple sectors, driving a radical global improvement in health and wellness encompassing at least 1 billion people worldwide before 2040.

Optimizing well with advanced HOTs will soon become as important as eating well with nutritious foods. Nations, industries, and individuals that recognize this early and act decisively will be best positioned to capture the extraordinary benefits of this transformation.

Learn more about the HOT disruption and its implications for health, society, and the economy.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this FAQ is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. The content regarding GLP-1 receptor agonists (or any other medical treatments) should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment options. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here. The authors and publishers of this FAQ and related report make no representation or warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information presented. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk.