The U.S. obesity rate experienced a gradual decline over the past few years, coinciding with the surge in use of GLP-1 drugs.
In 2022, the obesity rate in the United States peaked at a record high of 39.9%, before gradually falling to 37.0% in 2025. Overall, this represents an estimated 7.6 million fewer obese adults in the country compared to just three years ago.
Despite the drop, diagnoses of diabetes have hit an all-time high of 13.8%. However, not all individuals who are obese will develop diabetes, with some people maintaining a healthy weight and still developing the disease.
One reason for the statistically significant drop in obesity in the United States is likely tied to the widespread use of GLP-1 drugs, like semaglutide. Over 12% of adults report taking weight-loss medication, more than twice the 5.8% rate recorded in February 2024.
Notably, the obesity rate for women has dropped by 3.5 percentage points, higher than the 2.3 percentage points for men. Women also use GLP-1s at a higher rate than men, 15.2% versus 9.7%.