Axios-Ipsos finds 18% of Americans have a weight-loss drug user in their circle
A new national poll finds 18% of Americans know someone who used a weight-loss drug recently, and most non-users say they simply aren't interested rather than blocked by cost.
About 1 in 5 Americans, or 18%, say they or someone in their immediate circle has taken a prescription weight-loss drug in the last three months, according to the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index [1]. The survey polled 1,225 adults from March 6-9, 2026, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points [1].
The poll suggests cost is not the main barrier keeping most people from trying these drugs. Only 16% of those who said they were not very interested or not interested at all in a weight-loss injection or pill pointed to expense as the reason [1]. That finding stands out given that list prices for GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro often exceed $1,000 a month, and insurance coverage remains inconsistent across the country [1].
Instead, the top reason people gave for staying away was a preference for managing weight through diet and exercise, cited by 51% of uninterested respondents [1]. Concerns about side effects came in second at 38%, and 33% said they simply were not trying to lose weight [1]. Respondents could give more than one reason, based on how the results were reported [1].
Demand has not disappeared, though. Among people who have not yet tried a weight-loss drug, 15% said they were interested in trying an injection and 21% said they were interested in a pill [1]. Familiarity with Novo Nordisk's newer Wegovy pill remains limited, with only 39% of respondents saying they were very or somewhat familiar with it [1]. The poll also found that obesity has remained the top perceived U.S. health threat since late 2024, ranking ahead of mental health issues, the opioid and fentanyl crisis, and cancer [1].
Why it matters for patients
For patients weighing whether to start a GLP-1 medication, this poll is a reminder that the national conversation is shifting, but slowly. Nearly one in five Americans now has some personal connection to these drugs, which suggests exposure and word-of-mouth awareness are growing [1]. Yet the survey indicates that most people who are not interested are not being kept away primarily by sticker price. They cite lifestyle preference and side-effect worries instead [1].
That matters for how patients think about their own decisions. Someone weighing an injection or the newer pill option is not alone in wondering about side effects, since more than a third of uninterested respondents named that as a reason to stay away [1]. At the same time, the low percentage citing cost as a barrier does not mean cost is not a real issue for people who do want to start treatment. It only reflects the reasoning of those who said they are not interested in the first place [1]. Patients who are interested but priced out are a different group that this particular question did not directly measure.
The finding on pill familiarity is also notable. With only 39% of respondents saying they know much about the new Wegovy pill, patients considering an oral option may find that friends, family, and even casual acquaintances have limited firsthand knowledge to share, unlike the more established injectable forms [1].
What happens next
The Axios-Ipsos American Health Index is an ongoing tracking survey, and this wave was fielded March 6-9, 2026 [1]. It is not yet known from this source whether future waves will track changes in cost concerns, pill familiarity, or interest levels as more people gain exposure to GLP-1 drugs through their social circles. The source does not specify a date for the next survey installment.
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Sources
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