AMPLIFY (Amplifying Meaningful Perspectives and Lived experiences of Incretin therapy use From diverse communitY voices) is a new study led by Dr Marie Spreckley at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge. The study seeks to understand how people experience next-generation incretin-based therapies, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, when used for weight management.
These medications are transforming obesity care, yet little is known about how they shape people’s daily lives, including changes in appetite, eating patterns, wellbeing, and quality of life. AMPLIFY will explore these lived experiences to inform how best to support individuals using, or having recently stopped using, these treatments.
The study will engage adults across the UK, with a particular focus on voices from communities historically under-represented in obesity research. Participants will contribute through online discussion groups and interviews, sharing their perspectives to help identify the types of information and wrap-around support that are most meaningful and needed in real-world care.
Co-designed with public contributors and delivered in partnership with Obesity Voices, AMPLIFY is supported by the University of Cambridge Public Engagement Starter Fund, which enables innovative approaches to involving the public in research.
As part of its engagement activities, AMPLIFY will share insights at the 2027 Cambridge Festival, produce a reflective report and a plain-language summary for community dissemination, and co-author qualitative studies with contributors. Through these outputs, the project aims to ensure that lived experience directly informs future research, clinical guidance, and policy development in obesity care.
By bringing together patients, researchers, and public contributors, AMPLIFY seeks to advance more equitable and person-centred models of care for incretin therapy users, ensuring that the voices of those most affected help shape the future of obesity treatment.
AMPLIFY Team
Dr Marie Spreckley is a registered nutritionist and researcher specialising in weight management research and clinical practice. Her research draws on her clinical expertise to investigate behavioural and psychological factors that influence long-term weight management. She has a particular interest in reaching underserved populations, aiming to develop interventions that are accessible, practical, and effective for those facing health disparities.
Dr Spreckley is Principal Investigator on the AMPLIFY study, contributing her expertise in engagement with clinical partners, qualitative methods, and health disparities.
Prof Amy Ahern - MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
Ken Clare - Obesity Voices
Prof. Louisa Ells - Leeds Beckett University
Dr Adrian Brown - University College London
Dr Cara Ruggiero - MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
Pamela Mungroo - MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
Tala Al-Ajmi - MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
