More people now use GLP-1s to lose weight than for other health issues

More Americans are now taking GLP-1 drugs to shed some pounds than to treat diabetes and other health conditions for which the medications were originally prescribed, new research shows. 

Roughly 54% of people taking semaglutide medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy do so to lose weight, overtaking the share of people who use them for other medical reasons, according to EY-Parthenon. 

Meanwhile, as usage of GLP-1 drugs for weight management surpasses other medical uses, more consumers are changing how they eat and shop, the strategy consulting firm found in a survey of nearly 15,000 people, including 3,602 current or former GLP-1 users.

For example, people taking the drugs typically consume fewer unhealthy foods and less alcohol in favor of healthier products. Sixty-three percent of GLP-1 users say they have reduced their consumption of sweet snacks, while 57% say they eat fewer salty snacks, according to EY-Parthenon's research. 

Food makers, grocery chains and other retailers are adapting to those changes in consumer habits. 

"We are finding that manufacturers and retailers are making more room on store shelves for GLP-1-diet-specific foods, or protein-enhanced items, and smaller portion sizes," Don Johnson, a principal in EY-Parthenon's consumer strategy practice, told CBS News. "Some consumer packaged goods makers thought this was a blip or fad. Now I don't hear that. Everyone accepts that this is a structural change that's not going away."

Smaller sizes, fitted styles

Growing use of the drugs for controlling weight is also changing how consumers shop for clothes. In the apparel department, EY-Parthenon researchers found that consumers taking GLP-1s are gravitating toward smaller clothing sizes and more fitted clothing, swimwear and athletic wear.

"You're losing a lot of weight on the drugs, so you're needing to buy differently," Johnson said. 

EY-Parthenon found that 72% of GLP-1 users sized down in clothing after rapidly losing weight, requiring a wardrobe refresh. Roughly half of users increased their spending on fitness services, such as gym memberships, while 46% switched apparel brands. 

GLP-1s have become accessible to a broader swath of consumers, driving increased adoption for weight loss, according to EY-Parthenon. The drugs are today available in more forms, such as a pill, and are also more affordable, leading more younger, lower-income and male consumers to use the drugs, according to the research. 

Changes in public policy are also helping drive wider usage of the drugs. A Trump administration agreement last year with GLP-1 manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk lowered the cost of Ozempic and Wegovy to between $150 and $350 per month, down from roughly $1,000 per month. The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program also provides eligible Medicare beneficiaries with access to GLP-1 drugs for $50 a month. 

GLP-1 drugs also could have clinical value in helping people deal with other issues, some researchers think. Experts at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania are embarking on a study to see if the drugs can deter risky financial decisions.

In a first-of-its-kind study, the researchers will examine how GLP-1s influence the body's reward system, a network of brain structures that reinforces certain behaviors, to see whether the drugs suppress temptations such as luxury purchases, gambling or other activities that people often find hard to control.