In U.S., GLP-1 Usage Reaches New High

The Gallup report reveals a significant rise in GLP-1 medication usage among U.S. adults for weight loss, with 11% currently using these drugs in 2026, up from 3% in 2024. A total of 15% have tried them, a nine-point increase. The rise of these medications correlates with a decrease in U.S. adult obesity rates, which fell from 39.9% in 2022 to 36.4% in 2026. Awareness of GLP-1 medications has increased from 80% to 91% in the same timeframe. The report discusses approval milestones for drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound, and explains that brand-name GLP-1s are more commonly used than compounded variants, despite users of compounded versions reporting slightly higher effectiveness. Economic factors such as cost and insurance play a role in medication choice. The findings underscore a potential positive health trend as GLP-1 usage rises alongside decreasing obesity rates.

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In U.S., GLP-1 Usage Reaches New High

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The percentage of U.S. adults who currently take GLP-1 medications for weight loss purposes has risen to 11% in 2026, up significantly from 3% in 2024. And 15% report having used the medicine for weight loss at some point, an increase of nine percentage points.

This analysis is part of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index. The results are based on a web survey of 5,065 U.S. adults, conducted May 28-June 5, 2026, using the probability-based Gallup Panel encompassing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

To measure lifetime use, Gallup asked: “Have you ever taken weight loss medications such as semaglutide (brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), liraglutide (brand name Saxenda) or tirzepatide (brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound)?”
To measure current individual use (if “yes” to the first question), Gallup then asked: “Are you currently taking weight loss medications such as semaglutide (brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), liraglutide (brand name Saxenda) or tirzepatide (brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound)?”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Novo Nordisk drug Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight loss in 2021. Since that time, other options have come on the market, including the Eli Lilly drug Zepbound (tirzepatide), which received FDA approval in November 2023.

A large majority of Americans (91%) are now aware of GLP-1 drugs that are intended for weight loss purposes, up from 80% awareness in 2024.

Obesity Continues to Tick Down; Diabetes Levels Off

After peaking at a record high of 39.9% in 2022, the U.S. adult obesity rate has gradually dropped to 36.4% thus far in 2026, a statistically meaningful decline that continues to inversely track with increased usage of GLP-1 medicine nationally. Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes — a lifetime disease that can be managed but not cured — has remained steady since 2023 after 15 years of slowly rising rates concurring with rising obesity. (A declining obesity rate would expect to stabilize, but not reduce, the percentage of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.)

Gallup calculates obesity using the federal standard of having a BMI of 30 or higher, while the diabetes rate includes both those with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. This is based on a question that asks U.S. adults, “Has a doctor or nurse ever told you that you have diabetes?” The 2026 results are based on 10,091 respondents from surveys conducted Feb. 18 to March 3 and May 28 to June 5, 2026.

Gallup uses respondents’ self-reported height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI) and subsequent weight classes. A “vanity effect” in how respondents present themselves may explain why Gallup’s obesity estimates are typically somewhat lower than those obtained from studies that use randomized clinical measurements of height and weight. However, because Gallup’s method of collecting self-reported weight and height has been consistent, the trend still provides valuable information about change over time.

Brand-Name GLP-1 Medicines Far More Commonly Used

Brand-name GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy comprise 68% of current usage, compared with 19% using a compounded or custom-mixed version of the medicine. Twelve percent are unsure whether they are using a brand-name medication.

Users of Brand-Name GLP-1s Report Slightly Lower Effectiveness

Users of brand-name GLP-1 medications report slightly lower effectiveness than do users of compounded or custom-mixed versions, but both types of patients consider the drugs to be effective. About four in 10 compounded or custom-mixed users (39%) report that they are “extremely effective,” compared with 32% of brand-name users.

Roughly three-quarters of each group — 77% of compounded users and 74% of brand-name users — report that the medicine is either “effective” or “extremely effective.”

One-Third of Compounded GLP-1 Users Have Switched From Brand Name

While reported effectiveness is similar between brand-name and compounded or custom-mixed users, the latter variety appears to be gaining momentum in the marketplace. Current users of compounded or custom-mixed drugs are much more likely to have switched from a brand name than the other way around (35% vs. 10%, respectively), indicating greater movement toward this type of the medicine.

Those who have switched from a brand-name GLP-1 to a compounded version are twice as likely as those who have switched from compounded to brand-name to cite cost or insurance coverage as their primary reason for switching (66% vs. 34%, respectively).

Implications

The growing popularity of GLP-1 medications continues to potentially point to broader health benefits for American adults as obesity levels curtail and the diabetes rate levels off after years of increases. Past research has shown a general alignment between GLP-1 usage and declining obesity rates across age groups, with the exception of those aged 65 and older, for whom the reported effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs is lower.

While brand-name GLP-1s continue to significantly lead the marketplace, the lower cost of compounded or custom-mixed varieties is fueling a shift away from brand-name choices and is likely making GLP-1s available to broader sectors of the population. That broader availability — though still limited — may be what's driving GLP-1 usage higher overall.

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Survey Methods

Results from the most recent survey, conducted May 28-June 5, 2026, are based on responses from 5,065 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as part of the Gallup Panel™. For results based on this sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±1.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, design effect included.

The margin of error for the GLP-1 type groups is much larger, as high as ±10 percentage points for users of compounded/custom-mixed medicine and a margin of error as high as ±5.4 percentage points for all adults.

The 2026 obesity and diabetes results are based on two quarters of data collection, Feb. 28-March 3 and May 28-June 5, 2026, with a total of 10,091 respondents.

Gallup weighted the obtained samples to correct for nonresponse. Nonresponse adjustments were made by adjusting the sample to match the national demographics of gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education and region. Demographic weighting targets were based on the most recent Current Population Survey figures for the aged 18 and older U.S. population.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

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Read Original at Gallup News →

In U.S., GLP-1 Usage Reaches New High

Obesity Continues to Tick Down; Diabetes Levels Off

Brand-Name GLP-1 Medicines Far More Commonly Used

Users of Brand-Name GLP-1s Report Slightly Lower Effectiveness

One-Third of Compounded GLP-1 Users Have Switched From Brand Name

Implications

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