The obesity rate in the U.S. dropped to 37% this year, representing a notable decrease after reaching a record high of 39.9% in 2022, according to data from Gallup.
The decline may be in part due to the explosion in the use of GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound.
The share of adults reporting use of these medications for weight control has more than doubled in the past 18 months — from 5.8% in early 2024 to 12.4% in Gallup’s latest survey.
RELATED STORY | Weight loss drugs aren't just changing how people look — they're also changing how they shop
Women use the treatments at higher rates (15.2%) than men (9.7%), and both groups saw usage more than double over the past year.
The question is, will the downward trend in obesity rates last? The answer will come down to whether people using pharmaceutical intervention also implement the lifestyle changes needed to sustain their weight loss.
Gallup’s data shows that Americans’ diet and exercise habits have actually worsened since 2019.
RELATED STORY | Young adults most at risk as nearly half of diabetes cases missed
Data from Gallup also found that diagnoses of diabetes have climbed to an all-time high of 13.8%, underscoring that weight loss alone doesn’t necessarily reduce the number of Americans living with the chronic disease.
The U.S. obesity rate remains historically high compared with other Western nations, Gallup said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
