Use of GLP-1 medications for <a href="https://healthylife7.com/study-finds-most-weight-loss-drugs-including-wegovy-and-mounjaro-do-not-improve-quality-of-life/” title=”Study finds most weight loss drugs including Wegovy and Mounjaro ‘do not improve quality of life’”>weight loss is skyrocketing in the country
A Gallup report reveals that the percentage of Americans using these drugs has nearly quadrupled since 2024. The data points to a decline in obesity, while diabetes rates remain stable and pricing is driving the boom in pharmacy-compounded versions
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In just a few years, GLP-1 weight-loss medicines have gone from being a relatively niche option to becoming a far-reaching health phenomenon in the country. According to a new report by Gallup, 11% of American adults currently use one of these weight-loss treatments, nearly four times the 3% recorded in 2024
This growth is also reflected in cumulative use. Fifteen percent of adults say they have ever taken medications such as semaglutide or tirzepatide to lose weight, 9 percentage points more than two years ago. At the same time, awareness of these treatments is now virtually universal: 91% of the population says they are familiar with them, up from 80% in 2024
The data comes from the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, based on a survey conducted between late May and early June 2026of more than 5,000 U.S. adults
Obesity declines after reaching record highs
The rise in GLP-1 use coincides with a trend that researchers consider particularly significant: thedecline in obesity nationwide
After reaching an all-time high of 39.9% in 2022, the obesity rate among adults has fallen to 36.4% so far in 2026. Gallup notes that there is an inverse correlation between the two phenomena: as the use of these medications increases, the prevalence of obesity decreases
Diabetes, on the other hand, shows a different trend. After 15 years of gradual growth, the proportion of Americans diagnosed with this disease has stabilized since 2023. According to Gallup, this trend is consistent with a reduction in obesity, as a lower incidence of overweight individuals can slow the emergence of new cases, although it does not reduce the number of people already living with the disease
Economy
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Williams Perdomo
Brand-name drugs continue to dominate
Although the market continues to be led by brand-name drugs, new, more affordable alternatives are emerging
Sixty-eight percent of those currently using a GLP-1 take commercial versions such as Ozempic or Wegovy, while 19% use pharmacy-compounded or personalized mixes.Twelve percent admit they are not sure exactly what type of medication they are using
Despite the predominance of brand-name drugs, differences in perceived efficacy are small. Seventy-four percent of brand-name drug users consider the treatment to be effective or extremely effective, compared to 77% among those using compounded medications
Price drives shift toward compounded medications
One of the report’s most notable findings is the growing shift toward pharmacy-compounded versions
More than one-third (35%) of those currently using compounded medications had previously started with a brand-name medication. Conversely,only 10% of brand-name users had previously used a compounded version
Cost as a priority
The main explanation is financial. Among those who switched from a brand-name medication to a pharmacy-compounded version, 66% cited cost or insurance coverage as the primary reason for the switch—nearly double the rate among those who made the reverse switch (34%).This price difference is expanding access to weight-loss treatments and could explain much of the growth seen in GLP-1 drugs over the past two years.
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