The disruptive force of weight loss drugs: How GLP-1s do more than shed pounds

The disruptive force of weight loss drugs: How GLP-1s do more than shed pounds ·

by Katie Hawkinson
February 3, 2026

There’s no denying the popularity of weight-loss drugs in the United States, with one in eight adults relying on GLP-1s to shed pounds or treat a chronic condition, according to a November survey by health policy organization KFF.

The GLP-1 industry is generating billions in revenue - and growing. Medications, like Ozempic and Wegovy, raked in more than $31 billion in revenue for Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in 2024, accounting for meaningful chunk of Denmark’s GDP, Reuters reports.

Weight loss drugs have also rapidly spread through the cultural zeitgeist with celebrities endorsing and admitting their use of the products. Social media is alight with conversation over the drugs with hashtags like “Ozempic face” being used to describe the apparent effects of rapid weight-loss. And it’s possible we’ll see greater uptake of GLP-1s now that the drugs, once only available as injectables, are being made in pill form.

But the impact of GLP-1s stretches far beyond the health and well-being of those using them: they’re impacting revenues — for better or worse — in a swath of industries.

Appetite for change

Studies show that GLP-1 use contributes to lower spending on groceries and fast food. Weight loss can change patients’ eating habits and appetite, according to Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian based in New York.

“When they're losing weight, people sometimes go, ‘I'm not as hungry’ … and ‘I just don't eat as much as I used to,’” Pace told The Independent.

GLP-1s can also curb cravings because they impact “reward centers” of the brain, according to Dr. Will Haas, a board-certified integrative medicine physician in North Carolina.