US Obesity Rates Edge Down After 10 Years as GLP-1 Prescriptions Quadruple

3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Aug 24

A 2023 decline in US obesity prevalence—flagged in a study of more than 16 million adults—marks the first drop in over a decade, with federal survey data also showing a slight fall from 2021 to 2023.
GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound are a leading suspected driver after prescriptions more than quadrupled between 2021 and early 2026, though researchers say post-pandemic behavior changes and greater weight-management awareness also likely contributed.
Experts say the link is plausible but not proven at the population level, noting only a small share of obese Americans use the drugs, many stop within a year, and some regain weight.
Forecasts still point higher: one IHME study projects adult obesity rising from 42.5% in 2022 to 46.9% by 2035, though critics say models built before the GLP-1 boom may overstate the burden.
Even if a turning point is emerging, researchers say obesity remains a major US public-health crisis because treatment access is uneven and broader health-system gains would take years to materialize.