Gallup revises its 2026 GLP-1 and obesity estimates

Gallup has revised the estimates in its July 2026 report on GLP-1 weight-loss drugs after changing the weighting criteria used to calculate its survey results. The update, posted Sept. 8, 2026, kept the overall picture intact: 11% of U.S. adults currently take a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, and 90% of adults are aware these drugs exist ^[1].

The revised figures show 15% of adults say they have used a GLP-1 drug for weight loss at some point, up nine percentage points from prior measurement, while current use has climbed to 11% in 2026 from 3% in 2024 ^[1]. Awareness of the drugs has grown from 80% in 2024 to 90% now ^[1]. The findings come from Gallup's National Health and Well-Being Index, based on a web survey of 5,065 U.S. adults conducted May 28 to June 5, 2026, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points ^[1].

Gallup also updated its obesity tracking. The adult obesity rate, calculated from self-reported height and weight using a body mass index of 30 or higher, is 36.8% so far in 2026, down from a record high of 39.9% in 2022 ^[1]. That estimate is based on 10,091 respondents surveyed in two rounds, Feb. 18–March 3 and May 28–June 5, 2026 ^[1]. Gallup notes its self-reported method tends to produce lower obesity estimates than studies using clinical measurements, but says the trend is still informative because its methodology has stayed consistent over time ^[1].

Diabetes diagnoses, which Gallup tracks separately, held at 12.8% in 2026 — the first time the rate has dropped below 13% since 2022 ^[1]. The source material does not specify what the original, unrevised July figures were before the weighting change, so it is not known how much the update altered the earlier numbers ^[1].

The poll also found brand-name drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy still dominate, accounting for 66% of current GLP-1 use, compared with 18% using compounded or custom-mixed versions; 13% of users said they were unsure which type they take ^[1]. Compounded users reported slightly higher satisfaction, with 38% calling their medication “extremely effective” versus 33% of brand-name users, and 80% of compounded users versus 74% of brand-name users rating their drug “effective” or “extremely effective” ^[1]. More people are moving from brand-name to compounded drugs than the reverse — 36% of compounded users switched from a brand name, compared with 11% of brand-name users who switched from a compounded version — and cost or insurance coverage was the leading reason cited by those who moved to compounded drugs (53%, versus 38% for those switching the other way) ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

For patients trying to gauge how common GLP-1 use has become, the revised Gallup numbers still point to rapid growth: roughly 1 in 9 U.S. adults now takes one of these drugs for weight loss, and awareness is nearly universal ^[1]. The declining obesity rate alongside rising GLP-1 use suggests a possible link, though Gallup describes this as an association tracked over time, not proof that the drugs alone caused the decline ^[1]. The gap in satisfaction and switching patterns between brand-name and compounded drugs may be relevant to people weighing cost against the source of their medication, since compounded versions are cheaper for many and are drawing users away from brand names, according to the survey ^[1].

What happens next

Gallup says its estimates come from ongoing Panel surveys, meaning future quarterly and annual updates will continue to track how GLP-1 use, obesity, and diabetes rates evolve ^[1]. The organization does not specify a date for its next report in the material reviewed here.