Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
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- In a new survey from Health, 76% of GLP-1 users said stigma still surrounds the drugs, despite their growing popularity.
- Many users feel pressured to lose weight, then judged for using GLP-1s to do it.
- Experts say stigma can affect care, openness, treatment continuity, and long-term health outcomes.
GLP-1 use has become increasingly common, but many people who take these medications still don’t feel comfortable talking about it. In Health’s new survey of 500 current GLP-1 users, roughly three-quarters (76%) said there’s stigma surrounding the drugs—suggesting that even as the medications go mainstream, there’s still shame and judgment attached to taking them.
Despite Benefits, Stigma Around GLP-1s Persists
GLP-1s are widely seen as effective medications for weight management and other health conditions—a trend that’s been proven through research and reflected in Health’s survey findings: GLP-1 users reported weight loss (86%), experienced better blood sugar control (64%), and improved cholesterol (48%) and kidney health (27%).
Despite those benefits, stigma stood out as another defining part of the GLP-1 experience for many users. While 92% of respondents described their overall experience while taking weight management medications as positive, nearly half (43%) said they don’t like talking about using a GLP-1.
That stigma stems from a lack of understanding about obesity as a chronic disease, Jorge Moreno, MD, an internal medicine and obesity medicine specialist at Yale Internal Medicine Associates, told Health. “Obesity is seen as a ‘failure of the individual’ to lose weight with diet and exercise,” said Moreno. “Many think it’s about willpower, but it’s about biology.”
Because of this, people taking a GLP-1 to treat obesity may receive unfair societal shame. “There can be a misconception that these patients are taking the easy way out,” said Eric Nolen-Doerr, MD, an endocrinologist and weight management specialist at Boston Medical Center.
These feelings reinforce a cycle that can be psychologically damaging to people with obesity taking GLP-1s: Many users still feel a cultural pressure to be thin (81%), with 52% saying the pressure influenced their decision to try a GLP-1. But once they’re on the medication, people start to feel a different kind of judgement: 69% of users said people view GLP-1 use as a “cheat code” for weight loss, and 23% have found it challenging to deal with other people’s opinions on their GLP-1 journey.
How Stigma Affects Patients—and What Could Help
Stigma around obesity and GLP-1 use can show up in multiple parts of a person’s life, including the healthcare system. According to Moreno, many of his patients were first turned down for a GLP-1 by their primary care doctor and urged to adopt “lifestyle changes” like dieting or exercise instead.
“Talking about weight loss is very sensitive,” he said. “Patients report that doctors often focus first on their weight before thinking about other medical conditions, or they spend less time with them.”
For many people, that judgment doesn’t stop there. Nolen-Doerr said patients often describe “micro-traumas” from people they love, including critical or resentful feedback about GLP-1 use. Many times, these patients “just can’t win,” he said.
This can lead to dangerous consequences, said Borelli. “In the context of GLP-1 use, [this stigma] can manifest as reluctance to seek prescriptions, discomfort disclosing medication use, or efforts to hide weight-related changes, including appetite and body shape.”
In other words, stigma doesn’t just affect how people feel—it can affect whether they seek care, talk openly about treatment, or stay on a medication that’s helping them. And, as Nolen-Doerr added, stopping obesity treatment can come with health and mental health consequences, including weight regain.
That’s why reducing stigma may require more than just changing attitudes. In Health’s survey, about one in five respondents said they had difficulty finding help outside of their care team, while about seven in 10 said they wished there were more community and easier ways to get questions answered. More education, normalization, and support could help people feel more comfortable seeking care and staying engaged with treatment long term.
