A new Gallup survey found that use of GLP-1 medications has continued to rise in the United States, with 11% of Americans currently taking the drugs and another 4% saying they used them previously.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Use of GLP-1 medications has reached a record high in the United States, with about one in six Americans reporting that they currently take or have previously used the drugs, according to a new Gallup survey.
The survey found that 11% of Americans are currently using GLP-1 drugs, while another 4% said they have taken them in the past. Current use has increased sharply in recent years. Gallup found that 3% of respondents reported taking the medications in 2024, compared with 8% in 2025 and 11% in the latest survey.
The drugs, which include brand-name prescriptions such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, have become widely known for weight loss, though they were first approved in the 2000s to treat diabetes.
GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone naturally produced in the small intestine. Federal regulators first approved a GLP-1 drug specifically for weight loss in 2021, and additional medications have since been authorized.
Gallup found that most users are taking brand-name prescription GLP-1 drugs obtained through a pharmacy.
Public awareness of the medications has also grown. In the latest survey, 91% of respondents said they were aware of GLP-1 drugs intended for weight loss, up from 80% in 2024.
The new Gallup survey was conducted online from May 28 to June 5 and included 5,065 adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Other data also show rising GLP-1 use. Researchers using Epic Systems electronic health record data said in May that GLP-1 prescriptions for U.S. adults rose from 1,884 per 100,000 patients in the second quarter of 2021 to 8,819 per 100,000 patients in early 2026.
A KFF analysis of government records released in January found that use among Medicare recipients also rose significantly in recent years, especially for Ozempic. A new Medicare pilot program limits GLP-1 costs to $50 per month.
The medications have been praised by some doctors as an effective tool for weight loss. Health care professionals have also warned about possible side effects, including nausea, as well as difficulty controlling appetite after stopping the drugs.
The rise in GLP-1 use comes as obesity remains a major health concern in the United States. Government statistics released in February showed that 40% of adults age 20 and older and 21% of people ages 2 to 19 are obese.
Gallup recorded a 40% adult obesity rate in 2022, but its survey data show the rate has declined since then based on respondents’ reported body mass index. Gallup found obesity rates of 38.4% in 2023, 37.5% in 2024, 37% in 2025 and 36.4% in its latest survey.
The percentage of respondents who said a doctor or nurse had ever told them they have diabetes has remained relatively steady. Gallup placed that figure at 13.5% in the latest survey.
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