Gallup's revised survey finds 11% of US adults taking GLP-1s for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024

The survey, fielded May 28 to June 5 ^[4], asked two questions: whether respondents had ever taken weight loss medications such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, and, only if they said yes, whether they take one now ^[17][6]. The current figure is therefore a subset of the lifetime one, and the gap between them is the part a planner can use (or rather, the part a planner is most likely to skip). Fifteen minus 11 leaves 4 points of adults who have taken one of these drugs and are not taking one now ^[19]. That is 27% of everyone who has ever tried ^[20]. Current use is up 8 points since 2024, a factor of 3.7 ^[21].

The product split decides where the growth lands. Applied to the 11%, the 66% on brand-name drugs works out to about 7.3% of adults ^[22], the 18% on compounded versions to about 2.0% ^[23], and the 13% who are unsure what they take to about 1.4% ^[24][11]. With the unsure group that size, the compounded share is not pinned down. Compounded users also rate the drug higher: 38% call it extremely effective against 33% of brand-name users, and 80% against 74% call it effective or extremely effective ^[12][13]. Gallup wrote that the compounded variety "appears to be gaining momentum in the marketplace" ^[14], and a section heading in its report says over one-third of compounded users have switched from a brand name ^[15].

The 11% is also a revised number. Gallup first published the story on July 7 and updated it on Sept. 8 to reflect revised estimates after it changed its weighting criteria ^[5]. The editor's note does not give the earlier figure.

The obesity series has its own limit. Gallup builds it from self-reported height and weight, and says a "vanity effect" in how respondents present themselves may explain why its estimates usually run somewhat below those from clinical measurement ^[10]. The 3.1-point fall from the 2022 peak of 39.9% to 36.8% ^[18][1] is a change in a consistent self-reported series, which Gallup says still informs the trend. The windows also differ: usage is compared with 2024, obesity with 2022 ^[2][1].

Our view is that the direction is solid and the level is softer than the 11% implies, because the figure is self-reported, was reweighted after publication, and leaves 13% of users unable to name their product. We would be wrong about the churn if most of the 4 points are people who finished a course of treatment. In that case the gap is completion, and the 11% is a steadier base than we are treating it. And if compounded use is larger than 18% once the unsure group is sorted, the brand-name base is smaller than 7.3% of adults ^[22].