According to a new survey by the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, the obesity rate in the United States has fallen drastically over the past few years. The survey found a correlation between this decline and the significant increase in the use of injectable obesity treatments.
Based on the data collected from the survey, the obesity rate dropped to 37% of adults in the United States this year, down from a high of 39.9% three years ago.
The survey discovered that about 12.4% of American adults reported taking GLP-1 drugs, such as Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), for weight loss. This represents more than a doubling of the usage rate since Gallup first measured it in February 2024, when the rate was 5.8%.
GLP-1 drugs were first approved for obesity treatment in the United States in 2021. They act on the brain and the body’s hormones to help suppress hunger and slow digestion. They are also considered a watershed in Americans’ long struggle to address obesity and related diseases.
Since their entry into the market, a correlating decline in obesity rates has been observed, particularly in specific age and gender groups. The most significant declines in obesity rates have been observed among Americans aged 40 to 64. Use of GLP-1 medications is highest among the 50–64 age cohort. This group has seen a 5.0-point drop in their obesity rate, bringing it down to 42.8%. In addition, the survey indicated that more women take GLP-1 drugs, which correlates with greater weight loss compared to men.
According to Harvard University obesity specialist Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonist drugs have been a “game changer” for treating obesity, but she warns that limited access is “poised to become a bigger issue”.
