Number of Americans Taking Weight Loss Drugs Explodes to <a href="https://healthylife7.com/american-glp-1-usage-hits-record-high/” title=”American GLP-1 Usage Hits Record High”>Record High
Skip to Main ContentU.S. News
Number of Americans Taking Weight Loss Drugs Explodes to Record High
WEIGHT FOR IT…
The rise in medication use comes alongside a decline in obesity rates
Martha McHardy
Published Jul. 7 2026 10:59AM EDT
Weight-loss drugs are becoming increasingly common across the United States, with a new Gallup poll showing a record share of adults have now used them. The survey found that 15 percent of Americans have taken a weight-loss medication at some point, while 11 percent say they are currently using one—a significant jump from the 3 percent reported in 2024. The national poll, conducted among more than 5,000 adults from late May to early June, comes as access to obesity medications expands. Lower costs, new treatments entering the market, including oral versions, and broader approvals for health conditions beyond weight loss have helped drive adoption. “This validates what I think we’re all seeing in practice, that it’s really dramatically changing how care is happening,” said Dr. Scott Hagan, an obesity specialist at the University of Washington. The rise in medication use comes alongside a decline in obesity rates, which have fallen to 36.4 percent this year after reaching 39.9 percent in 2022.
