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 eligible for treatment with these on the NHS between 2025 and 2028.

The study, carried out by University College London (UCL) researchers and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that an additional 3.3 million people said they would be interested in using weight loss drugs over the next year. The team looked at data from 5,260 people who were representative of the general population and who responded to a survey conducted in early 2025.

“Our findings show that an estimated 4.9 million adults in Great Britain – nearly one in 10 – have recently used a drug to support weight loss or were interested in using one in the near future. This usage far exceeds NHS England’s initial goal of prescribing these drugs to 220,000 people over three years,” explained lead author, Professor Sarah Jackson, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care. “We do not know about our survey respondents’ BMI or health conditions, so it is not clear how far this reflects a genuine medical need or how often the drugs are used unnecessarily by people of a healthy weight. We hope to gather more detailed data in future, monitoring how trends change over time. Good data are important as large numbers of people are taking these drugs outside medical supervision and there is wide potential for misuse. NHS prescribing data only captures a small part of the picture.”

They found that use of the drugs was twice as common among women compared to men and more common among people in middle age (aged 45-55), and those who reported psychological distress in the past month.

The team also found that levels of use were similar across social grades, but that interest in using drugs to support weight loss in future was greater among more typically disadvantaged groups (among whom obesity is more prevalent), suggesting a demand not currently met by private prescriptions.

The authors found that 2.9% of participants reported using GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications within the previous year to support weight loss. Of those who had not recently used these medications for weight loss, 6.5% were interested in doing so within the next year. Extrapolating from these figures, the authors estimate that around 1.6 million British adults may have used GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications to support weight loss between 2024 and early 2025 and that a further 3.3 million were interested in doing so at the start of 2025. Among those who used a GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medication to support weight loss within the previous year, 15% reported using a medication that was not licensed for weight loss in the UK. The authors speculate that this could be due to off-label prescribing or individuals acquiring medications through non-medical routes such as online purchases.

The authors found that GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medication use and interest was more prevalent among women, those aged between 45 and 55 years, and those who reported experiencing moderate to severe levels of psychological distress within the previous month. Interest in GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications was also higher among individuals reporting difficulties with their finances, and who were not in work due to long-term illness or disability.

The findings highlight substantial demand for GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications to support weight loss in Britain. The authors recommend regular monitoring of their use, health outcomes, and broader impacts on the British healthcare system, and to ensure that they are provided safely, appropriately, sustainably and fairly.

“Weight-loss drugs like GLP-1 agonists could play an important role in improving the health of the nation,” added study co-author, Professor Clare Llewellyn (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care). “Our findings suggest many people are accessing these medications outside the NHS. This raises concerns about equity given the costs of these drugs, as well as the adequacy of supervision of treatment.”

For the study, researchers used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey

Overall, 4.5% of participants reported using one of the medications in the past year for any reason; 2.9% reported using them for weight loss (i.e., an estimated 1.6 million people), while 1.7% reported using them exclusively for weight loss (equivalent to 910,000 people) i.e., they did not use them for an additional reason such as to lower heart disease risk or regulate blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetes.

Among those using medication for weight loss, 15% (about one in seven) were using medication not licensed for this purpose (such as Rybelsus licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes only). Using drugs “off-label” can also pose safety risks, the researchers said, if the medicines are accessed without appropriate clinical supervision.

Interest was higher among women, with nearly one in 10 (8.9%) saying they would be likely or very likely to consider using them in the next year, and among people aged 45 to 55 (9.7%). By contrast, only one in 20 (5.1%) men said they would likely consider using weight loss medications in the next year.

Interest was also higher among people who had experienced moderate or severe psychological distress in the past month (10.0% vs. 5.2% among those reporting no or low distress).

“As obesity rates rise in the UK, this study shows growing public interest in weight loss medication. While these drugs can aid weight loss, they’re not a silver-bullet, as evidence suggests most people regain weight after treatment,” commented Jo Harby, Director of Health Information at Cancer Research UK. “More research is needed on their long-term impact, how these drugs affect cancer risk, and how best to support people to maintain a healthy weight. These drugs should only be prescribed by healthcare professionals alongside continued care and advice on diet and activity. It’s also vital that everyone who needs it can access a range of weight-management support. The world around us shapes our health, and the UK Government must do more to create healthier environments for all.”

The findings were presented in the paper, ‘Prevalence of use and interest in using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss: a population study in Great Britain’, published in BMC Medicine. To access this paper, please click here