Nov 20 Reuters Weight loss was the talk of this earnings season, making names such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro the watercooler discussion that companies across the globe could not ignore.

Analysts attended earnings calls in the third quarter armed with questions for healthcare and consumer companies about the potential effect on their sales from the growing popularity of these drugs, known as GLP1 agonists.

A Reuters analysis of earnings transcripts for the third quarter showed GLP1 or alternatives like obesity or weightloss medications were mentioned 256 times across 29 U.S. and European healthcare and consumer companies.

That39;s more than double the mentions for the second quarter, when those phrases came up 127 times.

It39;s definitely a hot topic, said Jeff Jonas, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds. They companies are all having to respond to this to whether it39;s a positive for their business or trying to argue why it39;s not a negative.

This class of medicines, which includes Eli Lilly39;s Zepbound and Novo Nordisk39;s Wegovy, have proved effective in treating diabetes and weight loss and may also help cut the risk of stroke or heart attack, making them potentially lifechanging for people around the world.

Investor interest in the topic has been growing for some time, but took off on Oct. 4 when Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer, noted that there had been a slight pullback in food demand from customers taking weightloss treatments.

Walmart U.S. CEO…