Half of GLP-1 users ditch their injections — and some are turning to other weight-loss methods instead

Published: Jan. 15, 2026 at 11:51 a.m. ET

Millions of Americans have tried GLP-1s, but some people find that the weight-loss drugs have too many side effects, are expensive or just don’t work for them.

Patients also have to deal with changes to their health insurance at the start of a new year, and more employers have withdrawn coverage of the pricey medications. About half of the people who stop taking GLP-1s, like Eli Lilly’s LLY Zepbound or Novo Nordisk’s NVO Wegovy, discover that they gain back all the weight they lost within two years.