GLP-1 drug use nearly quadruples

• Key insight: Learn why employee use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs has nearly quadrupled since 2024.
• What’s at stake: Employers risk losing key talent or facing unsustainable health coverage costs.
• Support data: 11% of US adults take GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
  Source: AI generated bullets with editorial review

Americans are using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs at a record pace, and Gallup found that use will nearly quadruple by 2024, putting pressure on employers to find sustainable ways to cover the drugs.

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Today, 11 percent of U.S. adults take GLP-1 medications for weight loss, up from 3 percent in 2024, according to the Gallup National Health and Wellness Index. Another 15% said they had ever used drugs to lose weight, an increase of 9 points from 2024.

At the same time, companies are also facing a significant increase in health care costs, that burden increasingly falls on employees, said Jason Macaleer, chief strategy officer at Vida Health, a digital health company that offers virtual obesity and chronic care management programs. A Rice University study published late last year found that the cost of health insurance Since 1999 it has grown three times faster than workers’ earnings.

Read more: As GLP-1 costs rise, more employers are weighing dropping coverage in 2027

Entrepreneurs are caught between growth GLP-1 medication order and concerns about the long-term cost of covering them, Macaleer said. Some employers see access to medication as a way to support employee health and improve retention, while others worry financial impact of extensive coverage.

“There’s this tipping point,” Macaleer said. “You have very paternalistic employers out there who believe in the effectiveness of these drugs. They want to cover it up. There is a huge demand for drugs, but employers also realize that when used properly they can work and can be a very good tool for attracting talent and retaining talent.”

The Gallup Index findings are based on a web survey of 5,065 US adults conducted from May 28 to June 5 through the Gallup Panel.

Effective when used properly

Awareness of GLP-1 medications in fact, weight loss has also grown, with 91% of US adults saying they know about medication, up from 80% in 2024, according to Gallup. Among current users, 68% are taking brand-name GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy, while 19% are taking compounded or custom-mixed versions. Another 12% do not know if they are taking any brand-name medication.

Read more: Rising health care costs are prompting employers to rethink their benefits strategies

Most GLP-1 users say the medication is effective, regardless of whether they’re taking the brand-name or compounded version, according to Gallup. About three-quarters of users in each group — 77 percent of those taking compounded or custom compounded medications and 74 percent of those taking brand-name drugs — said the treatments were “effective” or “very effective.”

Users of the GLP-1 compound were slightly more likely to rate the medication as “very effective,” with 39% reporting that level of effectiveness compared to 32% of brand-name drug users.

Read more: As part of Medicare’s new GLP-1 demonstration

Adherence remains a challenge for GLP-1 medications, and data shows that many patients discontinue treatment within a year without additional lifestyle support, Macaleer said.

“GLP-1s are like most medications, dangerous when not used properly,” Macaleer said. “Nutrition tends to be a big area, and there has to be literacy that comes with that, and that kind of literacy comes with empowerment so that people know how to use these drugs properly.”

Macaleer emphasized that employers and beneficiaries must recognize that GLP-1 therapies are. it is not suitable for everyone and that coverage strategies should focus on ensuring that drugs reach the patients who will benefit the most.

“There are side effect profiles of GLP-1 that really shouldn’t be ignored,” he said. “What might be a miracle drug for someone can be a pretty scary and expensive hospital stay for someone else. So I think making sure you’re getting the right people on the right medication at the right time should be part of your overall strategy when you think about it. About GLP-1 Coverage”.