For the first time, the number of people using GLP-1 drugs exclusively for weight loss has surpassed those using them to manage diabetes, according to a new survey from Numerator – though the data analytics firm is not the first to report the trend
The Chicago-based company said in an email that 11.1% of US households are using the drugs exclusively for weight loss, while 9.7% are using them for diabetes management or a combination of diabetes management and weight loss
Numerator’s announcement aligns with other reports tracking GLP-1 use showing a shift in the balance by diabetic and non-diabetic users
Globally, the statistic is higher for weight loss-only users, at 79%, while use for diabetes management was at 58%, according to data analytics firm Kantar
“This is a directional shift since the measurement in late 2024 when GLP-1 use for diabetes was much more likely. Weight loss is now the dominant reason for use in every market except one,” the Kantar report noted
More than one in five (22%) US households have at least one GLP-1 user, which is double the adoption rate from October 2023
These households make up $660 billion in consumer spending in CPG, general merchandise and quick-service restaurants, making them a demographic to be acknowledged by brands and retailers, Numerator noted
Grocery spending was down 3.8% for households with GLP-1 users, and the pharmaceutical trend is shifting grocery shoppers away from the center of the store, Numerator reported
“As treatment continues, GLP-1 consumers shift away from pantry staples and carb-centric items such as pasta and bakery items toward fresh protein, seafood, functional nutrition and more intentional snacking,” Numerator reported
Kantar’s global study, which included the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, China and India, revealed that GLP-1 growth is driven in part by the erosion of doctor-led prescriptions
“There is a noticeable shift from primary care physicians as prescribers to specialists, weight loss clinics and digital-first platforms. At the same time, retail and online pharmacies are playing a larger role in fulfillment,” the Kantar report noted
This trend, along with patent lapses, is expected to speed up GLP-1 adoption growth, Kantar said
“The Ozempic patent lapses this year (2026) in many markets, including China, India and Canada. Expect a flood of injectable generic semaglutide options even in markets like the US, where generic semaglutide isn’t technically available yet,” Kantar said
Consumer interest is far from peaking in the US which reported that 23% of US consumers say they would consider taking the drug
“However, nearly two-thirds of former users discontinue treatment within six months, meaning today’s market is still largely shaped by recent adopters,” Numerator noted
Kantar noted that repeated use is common among GLP-1 users, globally
“GLP-1 use is likely not a one-time engagement for many,” the data analytics firm noted
Roughly 40% of former users said they would return to GLP-1s if their health worsens, and only about a quarter of active users plan to stop using the drugs sometime in the future
