CDC Survey: About 1 in 10 U.S. Adults Used a GLP-1 Medication in the Past Year, 1 in 5 Users Took a Compounded Version
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on November 12, 2026, in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that approximately one in 10 U.S. adults (9.8%) reported taking a GLP-1 medication during the past year, based on Rapid Surveys System data collected in July-August 2025 from 8,118 adults. GLP-1 receptor agonists help regulate appetite, lower blood glucose levels, and promote weight loss, and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management, and certain other conditions.
Use was higher among females (11.9%) than males (7.6%), and lower among adults aged 18-39 years (4.8%) than among those aged 40-64 years (13.7%) or 65 years and older (11.1%). Use rose with body mass index: 8.1% among adults with overweight, 15.6% among adults with class 1-2 obesity, and 24.1% among adults with severe obesity. Among people who reported ever having diabetes, use was 47.4%, compared with 5.7% among those without diabetes.
Approximately one in five GLP-1 users (22.6%) reported taking a compounded version of the medication, and another 8.8% did not know whether their medication was compounded. CDC noted that compounded GLP-1 medications are not reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality before they are marketed.
Approximately two in five users (44%) reported modifying their medication use from the way it was prescribed, most commonly by skipping doses (28%). Among those who modified their use, 38% cited cost and 36% cited availability. Modifications were more common among younger adults: 54% of those aged 18-39 years, compared with 30% of those aged 65 and older, and 58% of younger adults who modified cited cost, compared with 20% of older adults. About 12% of users reported reducing or stopping their medication because of side effects or symptoms.
CDC said the substantial prevalence of GLP-1 use highlights the expanded role of these medications in chronic disease treatment, and that better understanding of real-world use, including compounded products and dose and frequency adjustments, is important because it might have implications for safety and effectiveness.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：疾病控制与预防中心 CDC 总部大楼（联邦固定图库）。 / Photo: CDC headquarters building (federal asset library).
