America's Most Talked-About Drug Has a Surprising Secret: 69% of GLP-1 Users Are Unlikely to Admit Taking It

Virta Health, the leader in metabolic disease reversal, today released its third annual 2026 Virta Vitals, a national survey of U.S. adults that examines Americans' evolving attitudes and behaviors toward GLP-1 medications. While GLP-1 medications have become one of the most visible health trends in America, this year’s report found that less than a third (31%) of current and former GLP-1 users are likely to admit to using one, revealing a surprising gap between public conversation and personal disclosure.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260615373875/en/

Over the past two years, GLP-1s have become a common topic of discussion far beyond clinical settings. The number of Americans who personally know someone who has used a GLP-1 for weight loss has increased by double digits in two years (from 21%¹ to 31%), and nearly half (48%) now view these medications primarily as a weight-loss tool or lifestyle drug rather than as a treatment for chronic disease.

But despite their growing visibility, many Americans remain hesitant about using GLP-1 medications themselves. Even with the introduction of oral GLP-1 options, most Americans (61%) said they would prefer to change their behavior rather than take a prescription medication for weight loss. Amid growing concerns about cost, side effects, and long-term use, the survey suggests that awareness of GLP-1s has not necessarily translated into widespread acceptance.

Virta Vitals: The GLP-1 Era Report Highlights

• Cost remains the leading barrier across all income groups.
  • More than half of Americans (58%) say cost is the primary reason they would not use a GLP-1, even if it were recommended by a doctor.
• Appearance anxiety is growing.
  • Up five percentage points from 2024, concerns about aesthetic side effects are growing faster than any other barrier measured. More than four in ten Americans (43%) cite issues such as “Ozempic face,” hollowed features, or sagging skin as a reason they would not take a GLP-1, even if recommended by their doctor.
• An oral GLP-1 may not overcome consumer hesitation.
  • Despite growing attention around oral GLP-1 medications, nearly half of Americans (46%) say the availability of a pill does not change their interest in taking the medication. In fact, one in ten respondents say an oral option would make them less interested in using a GLP-1.

“What stands out in this year’s data is the gap between how visible GLP-1s have become and how willing people are to talk about using them,” said Adam Wolfberg, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Virta Health. “Americans are seeing these medications everywhere, yet many users remain reluctant to disclose their own use. Ultimately, the question isn’t whether someone uses a GLP-1, it’s whether they are improving their metabolic health in a sustainable way. Nutrition and behavior change remain foundational, whether someone chooses to use a GLP-1 or not.”

In the first nine months of 2025, major pharmaceutical companies spent more than $700 million advertising GLP-1 medications², with Eli Lilly spending approximately $34 million on television spots in January 2026.³ Yet the 2026 Virta Vitals report suggests that growing awareness of GLP-1s has not necessarily translated into greater willingness to use them.

Today, more than 90% of U.S. adults are affected by chronic metabolic conditions⁴, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, contributing an estimated $1 to $1.5 trillion in annual healthcare spending⁵. Through medical care, personalized nutrition, technology, and tools like GLP-1s, Virta has helped hundreds of thousands of members improve their metabolic health and partners with more than 700 employers, health plans, and government organizations to reverse chronic disease at scale rather than simply manage it.

About the Survey

Data Sources & Methodology: The 2026 Virta Vitals report is based on a nationally representative online survey of 1,210 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, fielded April 10–12, 2026, by Researchscape International and weighted to reflect the U.S. adult population by age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and region. The credibility interval for the full sample is approximately ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Year-over-year comparisons are drawn from Virta Vitals I, fielded July 11–15, 2024, by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, with a credibility interval of ±3.1 percentage points. For more information, view the full 2026 Virta Vitals report at: https://virtahealth.com/2026-virta-vitals-report.

For more information about these reports, please contact press@virtahealth.com.

About Virta Health

Virta Health is the leader in metabolic disease reversal, helping people sustainably reverse Type 2 diabetes and achieve lasting weight loss through a clinician-guided, nutrition-first approach. With the largest body of evidence on nutritional ketosis and metabolic disease reversal, Virta supports members wherever they are in their health journey — with or without GLP-1 medications. Virta partners with employers and health plans to reduce the clinical and financial burden of metabolic disease. Learn more at virtahealth.com.

¹ Virta Vitals I, (Wakefield Research, July 2024, n=1,000)
² https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/novos-wegovy-ozempic-us-advertising-spend-doubles-rival-eli-lilly-data-shows-2026-01-28/
³ https://xtalks.com/top-10-pharma-tv-ad-spend-leaders-in-january-2026-tremfya-rinvoq-skyrizi-and-zepbound-dominate-4700/
⁴ Annual Report on Metabolic Disease Reversal, Virta Health, https://www.virtahealth.com/reversal-report
⁵ Annual Report on Metabolic Disease Reversal, Virta Health, https://www.virtahealth.com/reversal-report

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260615373875/en/