US Obesity Falls to 37% as GLP‑1 Use Rises

GLP‑1 drugs such as Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy are spreading beyond wealthy markets — Mounjaro launched in India at about $180 a month and became the country’s second‑best‑selling branded medicine, helping drive projected global sales above $26 billion this year and prompting plans for cheaper generics and oral versions to widen access. Patents and supply constraints have so far limited availability in poorer countries, though access is beginning to change and experts warn equity issues persist. A U.S. Gallup survey links a sharp rise in reported GLP‑1 use (from 5.8% to 12.4% of respondents) with a modest decline in adult obesity from 39.9% to 37%. Research indicates GLP‑1 receptor agonists may also have benefits for sleep apnoea, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and reductions in alcohol, tobacco and opioid use in early studies. Separately, a year‑long trial found sweeteners modestly improved weight maintenance with some gastrointestinal side effects, and preclinical green tea extract work shows weight and glucose benefits in mice but remains unproven in humans.