Nearly half of US adults interested in using weight-loss drugs, new KFF poll finds

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN

(CNN) — Most adults in the United States have heard about a new class of drugs being used for weight loss – including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro – and nearly half say that they would be interested in using one, according to a new survey from KFF.

Few – less than 1 in 7 adults – say that they have ever had a prescription for weight loss. But nearly 60% of adults who are trying to lose weight – and even a quarter of those who aren’t currently trying to lose weight – say they would be interested in trying a weight-loss prescription drug if it was found to be safe and effective.

Interest was particularly high among adults who had been told by a doctor or other health care provider that they were overweight or obese in recent years and among those who were trying to lose more than 20 pounds, according to the KFF survey.

Women were significantly more likely than men to say that they were interested – with 51% of women saying they would be, compared with 38% of men. And Hispanic adults were more likely to be interested than White or Black adults.

Overall, interest in prescription weight-loss drugs waned as survey participants learned more.

Less than a quarter of adults would still be interested in a weight-loss drug that had to be taken as routine injection, as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are.

Only about 1 in 7 said they would still be interested if they heard they may gain weight back after stopping use, and only about 1 in 6 would still be interested if the drug wasn’t covered by their insurance or if it wasn’t specifically approved for weight-loss by the US Food and Drug Administration.

More than half of adults say that insurance should cover weight-loss prescription drugs for anyone who wants to lose weight, and about 80% say that they should be covered for individuals who are overweight or obese, according to the KFF survey.

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