Washington, July 10: Weight-loss medicines such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound are becoming more popular than ever in the United States, with a record 11% of American adults now using GLP-1 drugs to lose weight. That translates to nearly 40 million people, according to the latest Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.

The sharp rise comes at a time when the U.S. government has expanded access to these medicines through a new Medicare Bridge Program, which started on July 1. Health experts believe the initiative could push the number of users even higher in the coming months.

Gallup's latest survey of more than 5,000 adults found that the use of GLP-1 medicines has almost quadrupled since 2024, when only 3% of adults reported taking them for weight loss. Overall, 15% of Americans said they have used these medicines at least once.

The growing demand follows the success of drugs such as Wegovy, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management in 2021. Since then, several similar medicines have entered the market, making obesity treatment more accessible.

The newly launched Medicare Bridge Program is designed to help eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries receive certain GLP-1 weight-loss medicines at a monthly copayment of just 50 dollars until the end of 2027. The temporary program fills a long-standing gap because Medicare Part D has traditionally not covered medicines prescribed solely for weight loss.

Under the program, eligible patients can receive Foundayo, Wegovy or the Zepbound KwikPen. Adults aged 18 years and above with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher qualify for the benefit. People with a lower BMI may also be eligible if they have obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure, prediabetes, chronic kidney disease, or a previous heart attack or stroke.

However, the program does not include people who already receive GLP-1 medicines through Medicare Part D or those taking the drugs for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or fatty liver disease, as these treatments may already be covered under other Medicare benefits.

While the program offers affordable access, the monthly copayment does not count toward a patient's Medicare deductible or annual out-of-pocket spending limit.

The growing popularity of GLP-1 medicines is also being reflected in national health trends. Gallup data show that the U.S. adult obesity rate has fallen from a peak of 39.9% in 2022 to 36.4% in 2026. At the same time, diabetes diagnoses have remained stable since 2023 after rising steadily for nearly 15 years.

Experts say the expanding availability of GLP-1 medicines, along with supportive public health policies, could play an important role in reducing obesity and improving long-term health outcomes across the United States.