Nearly 12 percent of Americans have used GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic, for weight loss. This includes about one in five women between the ages of 50 and 64.
That’s according to a nationally representative RAND survey of nearly 9,000 adults. It’s the largest and most recent survey to explore Americans’ use of this new class of weight loss drugs.
Beyond the 12 percent of respondents who are already using GLP-1 drugs, another 14 percent said they are interested in using these medications.
The survey also asked about side effects. About half of those who use the drugs reported experiencing nausea, and about one-third experienced diarrhea. (These are the two most common side effects associated with GLP-1s.)
Since 2020, the number of prescriptions for GLP-1 agonists has more than tripled. Because they have penetrated the market so quickly, research about these drugs is still in its early stages. Studies like RAND’s can provide important insights into GLP-1 use and side effects at the population level.
