If you’ve ever found yourself wondering about Ozempic and considered trying it, you’re not alone. According to a new report, based on a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 15 million Americans or 1 in 8 are currently using such a drug.
And while Ozempic is associated with weight loss, that was not the original use, and current day, it’s not its only use. In addition to curbing a person’s appetite it’s also used in relation to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular protection and kidney disease.
The KFF group conducted a health tracking survey, and based on their results they were able to provide percentages of who is taking what and why, according to PEOPLE magazine.
• Doctor warns of risk of ‘eye stroke’ possibly linked to GLP-1 weight loss drugs
• US employers set to cut GLP-1 coverage as healthcare costs soar up to 10% next year
Among the people surveyed, 43% have been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, 25% have been told they have heart disease and 22% have been told they are overweight or obese in the last five years.
And while some people have taken a GLP-1 for medical reasons, approximately four in 10 adults say they took the appetite-suppressors for cosmetic reasons, specifically weight loss.
Ozempic was originally meant for people with type 2 diabetes, but now some people are using it for weight loss -Credit:Getty Images
While a lot of people are taking the drug, and each person has their own reason, there is one concern that comes up a lot, that it’s quite expensive.
According to the KFF’s survey, more than half (54%) of the adults who have taken GLP-1 drugs say it was difficult to afford them, including one in five people (22%) who say it was “very difficult.”
For some, health insurance may cover part of the cost, but even so, approximately 53% of those who used insurance still struggled to afford the drug.
For individuals who are older — 50 to 64 and 65 and older — are likely to have used GLP-1 drugs for health-related issues but not for weight loss with a very small proportion of 1% saying they’ve used it for weight loss.
On a different note, younger adults are more likely to use GLP-1 drugs solely for weight loss, according to the KFF study.
The majority of people who obtaining the drugs from their primary doctor who issues a prescription, but there are some who go the more untraditional route like shopping online or at a spa.