US Obesity Rates Decline for First Time in a Decade
For the first time in a decade, obesity in the US is declining, and a new study suggests it’s because of wildly popular medications such as Ozempic.
A Small but Meaningful Decline
The number of obese Americans has been steadily climbing for years, and the country’s average body mass index (BMI) has been creeping up along with it. However, in 2023, something changed: Obesity levels fell to 43.96% from 44.1% the year prior. It’s a small decline, but a meaningful one, researchers say. The biggest change occurred in the South, according to the analysis, which also had the highest concentration of prescriptions written for the drugs.
The Impact of Medications
The findings, published in JAMA Health Forum, suggest that blockbuster medications such as Novo Nordisk A/S’s Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.’s Mounjaro and Zepbound may actually be starting to move the needle on America’s obesity epidemic.
"We’re already seeing the impact in the data," Benjamin Rader, the computational epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital who led the study, said in an interview.
Analyzing Electronic Health Records
Rader and his colleagues analyzed electronic health records and de-identified insurance claims from millions of American adults to track the prevalence of obesity over the last decade. They used the claims data to map prescriptions for drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, part of a class of medications known as GLP-1s.
Regional Variations
The researchers found that obesity rates in the South dropped to 45% from 46% the year prior, while in other regions, rates were flat except for the West, where they ticked up. The South experienced a disproportionately high number of deaths from Covid-19 among individuals with obesity, which could have impacted their findings. However, the highest number of Covid deaths occurred prior to 2023, so it wouldn’t explain the entire decline.
Conclusion
The decline in obesity rates is a promising trend, and the impact of medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro is likely a contributing factor. As access to these drugs improves, it’s possible that we’ll see reductions in obesity-related health conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
FAQs
Q: What are the medications that are credited with the decline in obesity rates?
A: The medications are part of a class known as GLP-1s, specifically Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Q: Where did the decline in obesity rates occur?
A: The decline occurred most significantly in the South, where obesity rates dropped to 45% from 46% the year prior.
Q: What is the impact of these medications on obesity-related health conditions?
A: As access to these drugs improves, it’s possible that we’ll see reductions in obesity-related health conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
Q: What is the current state of coverage for these medications?
A: Currently, fewer than 20 state Medicaid programs cover them for weight-loss, and Medicare does not cover them. About 60% of employers have opted to cover the shots for their employees.
