How many Americans now use GLP‑1s
A recent roundup cites a KFF poll finding that roughly one in eight American adults now take GLP‑1 medications for diabetes or weight loss, and local reporting recommends pharmacists as a practical resource for managing expectations and side effects. The piece frames pharmacists as a frontline support for patients navigating dosing, interactions, and realistic outcomes. (napavalleyregister.com)
About one in eight U.S. adults now say they are currently taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 drug, or GLP-1, for weight loss, diabetes, or another condition. (kff.org) KFF reported on November 14, 2025 that 12% of adults were current GLP-1 users, up from 6% who said they were currently taking one in KFF’s May 10, 2024 poll. The newer poll also found that 18% of adults said they had taken a GLP-1 at some point. (kff.org) These medicines copy a hormone signal that helps control blood sugar and appetite. KFF said people reported using them for weight loss and for chronic conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses. (kff.org) Use is highest in groups with the clearest medical need. KFF found 45% of adults with diabetes were current users, 29% of adults with heart disease were current users, and 23% of adults who said they had been told they were overweight or obese in the past five years were current users. (kff.org) The market has grown against a backdrop of widespread obesity in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 40.3% of adults age 20 and older had obesity in August 2021 through August 2023, and 72.4% were overweight or had obesity. (cdc.gov) Cost is still a barrier even as use rises. KFF found 56% of current or former GLP-1 users said the drugs were difficult to afford, and 27% of insured users said they paid the full cost themselves. (kff.org) Stopping the drugs is often tied to price or side effects. KFF found 14% of users who stopped said cost was the reason, while 13% said they stopped because of side effects. (kff.org) That helps explain why pharmacists are being cast as day-to-day guides for patients starting these medicines. A nationally distributed April 7, 2026 health feature said pharmacists can help patients manage side effects, check drug interactions, and sort out insurance and medication costs. (markets.financialcontent.com) Supply has also been part of the story. On April 1, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration said national GLP-1 supply was beginning to stabilize and reminded compounders that copies of commercially available drugs face legal limits unless a prescriber documents a significant difference for an individual patient. (fda.gov) For patients, the headline number is now 12% current use, but the practical questions are still the same ones KFF and pharmacists keep surfacing: who can get the drugs, who can pay for them, and who can stay on them. (kff.org)
