Weight-Loss Drugs Spur Record US Use and Boost Hiring for Unemployed Women

A Gallup poll of more than 5,000 American adults found that 15% have tried a weight‑loss drug and 11% are currently using one, the highest levels recorded. The survey noted a drop in the national obesity rate to 36.4% from a peak of 39.9% in 2022 and steady diabetes diagnoses. Awareness of the medications is now at 91%, though about one‑third of current users are taking non‑approved compounded versions despite FDA warnings.

A working paper by Harvard economist Rebecca Diamond analyzed data on over 10,000 adults and reported that unemployed women who began GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic or Wegovy experienced a 27% increase in hiring after 18 months, compared with similar women who had not started the drugs. The same group was also 29% more likely to marry or move in with a partner, while employed women saw little change in pay or job mobility. The findings highlight the role of weight bias in the labor market and raise concerns about unequal access to these medications.