The Number of Americans Taking Obesity Medication Increases

A new national poll from Gallup found that 15% of Americans reported using weight-loss drugs at any point in their life and 11% are currently taking one. In 2024, it had been was only 3%.

This survey was executed between late May and early June 2026 and was published on Tuesday. More than 5,000 Americans across the country participated in this poll.

Dr. Scott Hagan, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington who studies obesity, said, “This validates what I think we’re all seeing in practice, that it’s really dramatically changing how care is happening.”

The weight loss trend is a positive one because it has improved many people’s health. Dan Witters, the Research Director at the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, who led the poll, believes that obesity drugs play a vital role in bringing the number of overweight people down. The survey data showed that the obesity rate has dropped. It has fallen to 36.4% this year after a peak of 39.9% in 2022.

Something that is usually caused by obesity is diabetes. Over the past decade, diabetes diagnoses kept increasing, but now, the rates seem to have steadied.

Weight-loss drugs can improve a lot of lives, but compounded or customized versions can be dangerous. They do not go through the rigorous clinical tests that provide sterile, standardized, and single-dose injection pens like the brand-named ones do. These editions are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

These drugs tend to be cheaper than brand-named ones, and about one-third of the survey takers said they had switched to a compound medication. In June, the agency stressed that these custom obesity drugs are to only be used in certain cases and come with many risks, like taking the wrong dose, medication containing unapproved ingredients, and many other gastrointestinal side effects.

In my opinion, there should be a stricter limit on how these weight-loss drugs should be advertised because they do have side effects. People should know what they are getting into if they do choose to take the medication.

Over the past few years, obesity drugs have become more accessible. Prices have come down, and some medications are available in pill form. Many people are desperate to lose weight and do not understand the consequences that could come with weight-loss drugs, especially compounded versions.

This survey shows that America’s obesity problem is one that many people want to solve. The convenience of weight-loss drugs has improved many lives, but not without its negative effects. Now if you are considering taking weight loss drugs, first do some more research on the medication, then go discuss your plan with a doctor before moving forward.

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Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/07/well/americans-taking-weight-loss-drugs.html