One in Eight US Adults Use GLP-1 Drugs

An increasing number of Americans are using anti-obesity medications known as GLP-1 drugs, either through weekly injections or daily pills, to achieve weight loss and improve overall health, though experts stress that combining these treatments with lifestyle modifications yields the most significant and sustained benefits.

According to a recent survey by the health research organization KFF, about one in eight U.S. adults reports currently taking a GLP-1 drug. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, stated that more than 600,000 prescriptions for its new oral version of the drug have been filled since January. Early data from Truveta, a health care analytics firm, indicates that over a third of these users are trying the medications for the first time.

Experts warn that relying solely on the drugs is a common error. "The biggest mistake people make with GLP-1 medications is thinking the prescription is the treatment," said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the weight loss company FlyteHealth. While GLP-1 drugs can promote weight loss and health improvements independently, a review of nearly three dozen studies...