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How many Americans take GLP-1 drugs? What the surveys say

Updated Sep 30, 2026. Numbers in brackets link to the source each fact comes from.

About one in eight US adults, 12%, said they were currently taking a GLP-1 drug in KFF’s Health Tracking Poll [1], which ran from October 27 to November 2, 2025 [2]. A separate Gallup survey from mid-2026 that asked only about use for weight loss found 11% [14].

The KFF poll, late 2025

KFF, a nonprofit health policy research group, surveyed 1,350 adults online and by phone [2]. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points [3]. People were asked about GLP-1 medicines for any reason, weight loss or a chronic condition, with brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Rybelsus and Trulicity [4].

What it found:

  • Use: 18% had ever taken a GLP-1 and 12% were taking one, up 6 points from 18 months earlier [1].
  • By condition: 45% of people with diagnosed diabetes were currently taking one, 29% of those with heart disease, and 23% of those told in the past five years that they had overweight or obesity [5].
  • By age: use peaked at ages 50 to 64 (22%), compared with 4% at 18 to 29, 11% at 30 to 49 and 9% at 65 and older [6]. KFF says the lower share among older adults likely reflects Medicare not covering drugs used only for weight loss [7].
  • Insurance: 12% of insured adults were taking one, against 4% of the uninsured [8].
  • Why: among people who had ever used one, 38% said mainly for a chronic condition, 32% for both a condition and weight loss, and 30% mainly for weight loss [9].
  • Where: 76% got it from their regular doctor or a specialist, 17% from an online provider or website, and 9% from a medical spa [10].
  • Cost: 56% of users said the drugs were hard to afford, and 27% had insurance but paid the whole cost themselves [1].
  • Interest: 22% of adults not taking one said they would be interested in a GLP-1 for weight loss [11].

Three surveys side by side

The surveys below asked different questions, so their numbers are not directly comparable [1]:

Survey Dates What it counted Currently taking Ever taken
KFF April 23 to May 1, 2024 [13] Any reason 6% [12] 12% [12]
KFF October 27 to November 2, 2025 [2] Any reason 12% [1] 18% [1]
Gallup May 28 to June 5, 2026 [15] Weight loss only 11% [14] 15% [14]

Why the numbers differ

KFF counts anyone taking these drugs for any reason, including diabetes and heart disease [4]. Gallup asked whether people were currently taking weight-loss medications such as semaglutide, liraglutide or tirzepatide [16], and surveyed 5,065 adults online [15]. Gallup also found that 66% of current users were on a brand-name drug, 18% on a compounded or custom-mixed version, and 13% were not sure [17]. Both are self-reported surveys, so they measure what people say, not prescriptions filled.

What the numbers mean for you: many people are paying for these drugs without help from insurance. Current cash prices from every seller we track are in our price comparison, plan rules are in coverage by insurer, and people on Medicare can check the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge.

The federal government’s own survey has one narrower figure. A data brief from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, based on the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, found that 26.5% of adults with diagnosed diabetes used a GLP-1 injectable [18]. It counted people with diabetes who reported an injectable medicine other than insulin to lower blood sugar or lose weight [19], so it says nothing about people without diabetes and does not count pills.

Sources

  1. One in five (18%) adults now report having ever taken a GLP-1 agonist, including 12% who say they are currently taking this type of medication (a 6 percentage point increase from 18 months ago). Even though most GLP-1 users say their insurance covered at least some of the cost, over half (56%) of users say these drugs were difficult to afford, including one in four who say they were “very difficult” to afford. About a quarter (27%) of GLP-1 users report having insurance but paying the whole cost of the medication themselves. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  2. The survey was conducted October 27-November 2, 2025, online and by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 1,350 U.S. adults in English ( n=1,274 ) and in Spanish ( n=76 ). kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  3. margin of sampling error including the design effect for the full sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  4. We are asking about GLP-1 medications, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide. These are prescription drugs used for weight loss or managing other chronic health conditions. Brand names include Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Rybelsus, Trulicity, and others. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  5. Nearly half of people who say they have been diagnosed with diabetes (45%) report currently using a GLP-1 medication, as do three in ten (29%) adults who say they’ve been diagnosed with heart disease and about a quarter (23%) of those who report being diagnosed as overweight or obese in the past five years. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  6. Across age groups, current GLP-1 use is highest among those who are between the ages of 50 and 64 (22%), with smaller shares of those ages 18-29 (4%), 30-49 (11%), or over age 65 (9%) saying they are currently using these drugs. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  7. Among adults 65 and older, 9% say they’re currently using these drugs – likely a reflection of Medicare’s lack of coverage for drugs specifically used for weight loss. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  8. Use of these drugs is much higher among adults who are currently covered by health insurance compared to those who are uninsured (12% v. 4%). kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  9. Among adults who have used these drugs, seven in ten say they used them primarily to treat a chronic condition like diabetes or heart disease (38%) or to both treat a chronic condition and lose weight (32%), while three in ten GLP-1 users (30%) report using these drugs primarily to lose weight. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  10. most adults who have taken these medications say they got them from their primary health care provider or a specialist (76%), while about one in six (17%) report getting them from an online provider or website. Fewer say they got a GLP-1 from a medical spa or aesthetic medical center (9%). kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  11. Overall, about one in five (22%) adults who are not currently taking GLP-1 drugs (88% of the public) say they would be interested in taking a GLP-1 drug to lose weight, including just 7% who say they would be “very interested.” kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  12. Overall, 12% of adults say they have ever used GLP-1 drugs, including 6% who say they are currently using them. kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  13. The survey was conducted April 23-May 1, 2024, online and by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 1,479 U.S. adults kff.org, read Sep 27, 2026.
  14. The percentage of U.S. adults who currently take GLP-1 medications for weight loss purposes has risen to 11% in 2026, up significantly from 3% in 2024. And 15% report having used the medicine for weight loss at some point, an increase of nine percentage points. news.gallup.com, read Sep 27, 2026.
  15. The results are based on a web survey of 5,065 U.S. adults, conducted May 28-June 5, 2026, using the probability-based Gallup Panel encompassing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. news.gallup.com, read Sep 27, 2026.
  16. To measure current individual use (if “yes” to the first question), Gallup then asked: “Are you currently taking weight loss medications such as semaglutide (brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), liraglutide (brand name Saxenda) or tirzepatide (brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound)?” news.gallup.com, read Sep 27, 2026.
  17. Brand-name GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy comprise 66% of current usage, compared with 18% using a compounded or custom-mixed version of the medicine. Thirteen percent are unsure whether they are using a brand-name medication. news.gallup.com, read Sep 27, 2026.
  18. In 2024, the percentage of adults with diagnosed diabetes who used GLP-1 injectables was 26.5% pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.
  19. Survey respondents were assumed to be using a GLP-1 injectable if they had diabetes and reported use of an injectable medication other than insulin to lower blood sugar or lose weight. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.