GLP-1 drug in Great Britain.
Around 4.9 million adults in Great Britain have either used the new popular weight-loss injections or they actually want to try them in the future. This number which represents about 1 in every 10 adults comes from a large and reliable household survey recently published in BMC Medicine. It shows just how popular these new weight-management medications have become across the country.
The chronic disease rate in Great Britain has unimaginably increased creating pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). And people use Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) agents (GLP-1/GIP medications) to manage one of the most prevelent issue i.e obesity.
GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications were created to treat type 2 diabetes but researchers later found that these drugs are also very effective at helping people lose weight at least while they continue taking them. These weight loss drugs are not only growing exponentially in countries like the US and UK for managing the weight loss journey among people.
Similar to the rapid growth of these medications it also led to some alarming issues like supply shortages, more people wanting the drugs and misuse of the medication. Some individuals use these medicines without meeting the approved medical criteria or without a proper medical prescription. Moreover lack of data as researchers did not know the acurate percentage of people who are using these medications and for what problem they are using it.
To address these questions, researchers at University College London (UCL) conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional household survey between January and March 2025. The study examined how many people in Great Britain were currently using GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications and what led the public to be interested in using these medications for weight loss.
Among 5260 people the researchers found that 4.5 per cent said they used GLP-1/GIP medications medications for any reason in the past year. Whereas about 2.9 per cent used them to help manage their weight and 1.7 per cent used them solely for losing weight. These figures represent approximately 1.6 million adults in Great Britain who have used these medications for weight management in the past year.
The study found that participants who used these medications for weight management in the past year were approximately 85 per cent of individuals in Great Britain. And the most commonly reported medication was Mounjaro (tirzepatide) which is a GLP-1/GIP medication. Participants who had not used any weight-management medication in the past year are more likely to consider using weight-loss medication in the next year. Women, middle-aged adults, and people dealing with recent stress are the most likely to use or want weight-loss medications. While those facing financial struggles or long-term illness are also highly interested in trying them the actual use of these medications remains fairly equal across all income levels.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any weight-loss medication.
