Study highlights prevalence of GLP-1/GIP medication use for weight loss in UK

One in seven using drugs not licensed for weight loss as 1.6m in UK now on them

Some 2.9 per cent of people surveyed said they use jabs to lose weight

Study highlights prevalence of GLP-1/GIP medication use for weight loss in UK

In early 2025, around 4.9 million British adults - almost one in ten - are estimated to have recently used, or expressed interest in using, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist medications to support weight loss. The findings, which are based on a nationally representative household survey of 5,260 British adults, are published in BMC Medicine.

One in ten British adults used or interested in GLP-1 medications for weight loss

In 2025, approximately 4.9 million British adults — almost one in ten — are estimated to have recently used, or expressed interest in using, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist medications to support weight loss.The GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide are licensed for weight loss in the UK but only around 220,000 people will be elig…