U.S. Obesity Rate Drops As GLP-1 Usage Grows

About one in nine Americans take a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, results from a new Gallup poll released on Tuesday found—a staggering rise over the past two years as the obesity rate in the U.S. continues to decline from a record high in 2022.

A record high 11% of Americans are taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, according to Gallup, up 3% from 2024.

At the same time, Gallup points out the obesity rate among Americans fell to 36.4% in 2026, down from a record high of 39.9% in 2022, the year after GLP-1 medication Wegovy was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat weight loss.

The diabetes rate has also remained flat for the past few years, according to Gallup’s data.

68% of GLP-1 users reported taking a name brand drug developed by pharmaceutical giants like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, including Ozempic, Mounjaro or Zepbound, while 19% said they took custom-mixed drugs unapproved by the FDA.

Public awareness of GLP-1 medications has also surged in recent years, with about 91% of respondents in 2026 reporting they knew the drugs could treat weight loss—up from 80% in 2024.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.