More Americans are now taking GLP-1 medications to lose weight than to treat diabetes and other medical conditions for which the drugs were originally prescribed, according to new research. Approximately 54 percent of individuals using semaglutide drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy take them for weight management, officially overtaking the share of patients using the treatments for other health reasons.
The findings come from a survey conducted by strategy consulting firm EY-Parthenon, which polled nearly 15,000 people, including 3,602 current or former GLP-1 users. As the prevalence of weight-driven usage expands, the research indicates that consumers are fundamentally altering their daily diets, shopping routines, and lifestyle habits.
Food manufacturers, grocery chains, and major retailers are adapting to these shifting consumer patterns by altering store inventories. According to the survey, 63 percent of GLP-1 users report reducing their consumption of sweet snacks, while 57 percent say they eat fewer salty snacks. Consumers taking the medications also generally consume fewer unhealthy foods and lower amounts of alcohol, pivoting instead toward healthier alternatives.
Retailers and manufacturers are responding by clearing space on store shelves for diet-specific foods, protein-enhanced items, and smaller portion sizes. Don Johnson, a principal in EY-Parthenon’s consumer strategy practice, noted that consumer packaged goods makers no longer view the shift as a temporary fad, recognizing it instead as a permanent structural change in the market.
The rapid weight loss associated with the medications is also transforming retail apparel. EY-Parthenon’s research found that 72 percent of GLP-1 users have sized down in clothing, prompting widespread wardrobe refreshes. Consumers are increasingly gravitating toward smaller clothing sizes, fitted apparel, swimwear, and athletic wear. In addition, 46 percent of users have switched apparel brands entirely, while roughly half have increased their overall spending on fitness services such as gym memberships.
Broader access is fueling the rise in weight-loss adoption, as the medications become available in alternative forms like pills and grow more affordable. This accessibility has drawn a wider demographic, including younger, lower-income, and male consumers.
Policy changes have also accelerated broader usage. A previous agreement between the federal government and GLP-1 manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk lowered the out-of-pocket cost of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy to between $150 and $350 per month, down from roughly $1,000. Additionally, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program offers eligible beneficiaries access to the drugs for $50 a month.
Beyond diet and retail adjustments, researchers are exploring whether GLP-1 medications hold clinical value for curbing other behaviors. Researchers at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania are launching a first-of-its-kind study to determine if the drugs can deter risky financial decisions. Investigators will examine how the medications interact with the body’s reward network—the brain structure system that reinforces specific behaviors—to see whether the treatments suppress impulses related to luxury purchases, gambling, and other difficult-to-control activities.
