Women between the ages of 50 and 64 use medications the most.
Nearly 12% of people in the United States have taken GLP-1 medications for weight loss, with usage especially common among women ages 50 to 64, where roughly one in five report having tried them, according to a new report from RAND.
The survey, which included a nationally representative group of 8,793 adults, revealed that 11.8% have already used GLP-1 agonists. An additional 14% expressed interest in trying them, while 74% said they do not intend to use the drugs.
Among individuals who have taken GLP-1 medications, nearly half reported nausea and about one-third reported diarrhea, the two side effects most frequently linked to these treatments.
This report is the most extensive national survey to date examining how many Americans are using GLP-1 drugs, which have rapidly reshaped approaches to weight management. It also breaks down usage trends by age and sex.
Growing Use of Ozempic and Other GLP-1s
The use of Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications has increased sharply in recent years since studies demonstrated the drugs can help people significantly aid weight loss. Since 2020, the number of prescriptions for the drugs has more than tripled.
RAND researchers surveyed participants of the RAND American Life Panel to ask about the use of GLP-1 drugs and their experiences with side effects. The survey was performed during April and May of 2025.
The results show that women tend to use GLP-1 drugs at higher rates than men, although there is considerable variability within age groups.
Use of GLP-1 drugs is most common among those between the ages of 50 and 64, with the highest rate of use found among women in the age group. Among those 65 and older, use of GLP-1 drugs is somewhat higher for men than for women. Conversely, among those between the ages of 30 and 49, women are more than twice as likely to have used a GLP-1 than their male peers.
Reference: “New Weight Loss Drugs: GLP-1 Agonist Use and Side Effects in the United States” by Robert Bozick, Shannon D. Donofry and Katherine M. Rancaño, 6 August 2025.
DOI: 10.7249/RRA4153-1
The RAND American Life Panel is a probability sample-based survey panel of about 11,000 active, regularly interviewed respondents aged 12 and older. The panel was developed by RAND in 2006.
The publication is the first in what is planned to be a series of brief reports that highlights topline descriptive findings from surveys run on the RAND American Life Panel.
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