Nathaniel Weixel
UpdatedTue, July 7, 2026 at 7:05 PM UTC
A record number of Americans are taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, according to a new Gallup survey released Tuesday — a massive increase over the past two years.
According to the poll, 11 percent of Americans currently take a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, compared to just 3 percent in 2024.
In addition, 15 percent of respondents said they had taken the medicine for weight loss at some point, an increase of 9 percentage points.
At the same time, the U.S. adult obesity rate has gradually dropped to 36.4 percent thus far in 2026, down from a record-high 39.9 percent in 2022, the year after Wegovy was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat weight loss.
Rates of diabetes diagnoses are also now steady after rising slowly for 15 years, concurrent with rising obesity.
The analysis is part of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index. The results are based on a poll of more than 5,000 adults across the country. It was conducted between May 28 and June 5
Declining obesity points to the wider accessibility of GLP-1 drugs, though researchers have said there are likely other factors as well.
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.
Cost remains a concern for people on commercial insurance, since many plans still don’t cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, but increased competition and international pricing pressure among drug companies has resulted in lower out of pocket costs.
Prices have been falling for Medicare beneficiaries as well, and some of Novo Nordisk’s drugs were already subject to Medicare price negotiation.
Certain Medicare beneficiaries can now get access to GLP-1 drugs for just $50, under the Trump administration’s temporary Bridge program.
Shortages created a market for cheaper compounded versions that aren’t approved by the FDA. Even though the agency ordered compounding for nonbranded versions of GLP-1s to stop last year, the survey found 19 percent of people currently taking a GLP-1 said that they were taking a compounded or customized version.
The lower cost of compounded or custom-mixed varieties is likely making GLP-1s available to broader sectors of the population. About one-third of people who were taking a compounded medication said they had switched from a brand-name drug.
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