About 1 in 10 U.S. adults reported taking a GLP-1 medication in the past year, according to a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Nov. 12.
Here are five things to know from the report:
- The CDC analyzed responses from 8,118 adults in its Rapid Surveys System, collected in July and August 2025. Overall, 9.8% reported GLP-1 use in the past year, including 47.4% of adults with diabetes, 23.3% of those with sleep apnea and 21.4% of those with cardiovascular disease.
- Use was higher among women (11.9%) than men (7.6%) and lower among adults ages 18 to 39 (4.8%) than those ages 40 to 64 (13.7%) or 65 and older (11.1%). Use rose with body mass index, from 8.1% among adults with overweight to 24.1% among those with severe obesity.
- Among users, 22.6% reported taking a compounded version, which is not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality before it is marketed, and another 8.8% did not know whether theirs was compounded. Compounded use was higher among users with private insurance (25.9%) than public insurance (12.5%) and among women (27.3%) than men (14.8%).
- About 44% of users reported modifying their use from the way it was prescribed, most commonly by skipping doses (28%). Modification was higher among users of compounded versions (62%) than others (36%).
- Among users who modified their use, 38% cited cost and 36% cited availability. Cost was cited by 58% of adults ages 18 to 39, compared with 20% of those 65 and older. About 12% of users reported reducing or stopping their medication because of side effects.
