Incretin-based therapies, including glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), are approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related conditions, and have demonstrated significant benefits for individuals with these conditions. However, in recent years, public interest and demand for GLP-1RAs-often driven by media, social media influencers, advertising, and public discourse-have increased beyond the populations for whom these medications are medically indicated. The ripple effects of widespread public exposure to GLP-1RAs and weight-loss-related discourse on public health have received very little research attention and remain poorly understood. This widespread exposure may contribute to a perception that GLP-1RAs are intended as weight loss solutions for non-medical use, rather than an effective treatment for specific chronic conditions like obesity. Such perceptions could influence demand and affect equitable access for people with medical indications for these medications. Widespread exposure to discourse that highlights GLP-1RAs as weight loss solutions may inadvertently reinforce social desirability for thinness and body image concerns. Despite the established clinical efficacy of GLP-1RAs for medically indicated conditions, this commentary highlights the potential public health risks associated with their growing portrayal as weight loss solutions for non-medical use in the public sphere and calls for research to better understand these broader implications to inform balanced public health communication strategies.
Authors
Côté, Marilou; Ramos Salas, Ximena; Carrière, Kimberly; Alberga, Angela S