Are Obesity Rates in the U.S. Finally Starting to Dip?

Something surprising is happening in the U.S. After climbing for decades, obesity rates may finally be shifting. Recent Gallup¹ data shows the adult obesity rate dropping from 39.9% in 2022 to 37.0% in 2025,  which is roughly 7.6 million fewer adults living with obesity in just three years. The numbers are self-reported, so people may underestimate a bit, but even with that, the drop is still pretty significant.

No one fully knows why this is happening yet. There isn’t one clear answer. But the timing lines up with something else major happening in healthcare: the rise of GLP-1 medications. It looks like this shift may come from a mix of medication, changes in behavior, higher awareness, and people finally having access to a tool that helps regulate appetite and metabolic function.

For the first time, millions of people have something that helps reduce appetite dysregulation, improve insulin resistance, and support real fat loss, and the impact isn’t just on the scale. It’s happening inside the body in ways that change health long-term.

If you’ve been living through this era, trying to build habits, manage weight, or use GLP-1s, this isn’t just an interesting stat. It’s personal. And it may be the start of one of the biggest cultural shifts in how we understand weight, health, and biology.

---

What the Numbers Are Showing

In early 2024, about 6 out of every 100 adults said they were using a GLP-1 drug to lose weight. By early 2025, that number doubled. Now it’s closer to 12 out of every 100 adults. Women are using them more than men. And women are also showing bigger drops in obesity rates than men.

That tells us something important. Even though men usually lose weight faster when they change how they eat or start exercising², the biggest decline in obesity right now is happening in women. The timing lines up almost perfectly with the rise in GLP-1 use, which makes it hard to ignore the connection.

Where We See the Biggest Changes

The biggest drops in obesity rates are showing up in adults between ages 40 and 64. This is also the group most likely to be using GLP-1 medications. People younger than 40 or older than 64 are using them too, but we aren’t seeing the same shift in obesity rates in those groups yet.

Location seems to matter too. People in cities and suburban areas are seeing larger changes than people in rural areas. That’s most likely about access. It’s easier to get these medications, see providers, and follow up on care if you live near clinics and pharmacies.

Another pattern in the data is with class three obesity, which means a BMI of 40 or higher (if you aren’t sure where you fall and you’re curious to check, you can look yours up here). This is the range where most of the serious health issues tend to show up. Those rates were climbing for years, but now they’re finally flattening out in some groups. Even a slowdown here matters.

Although change isn’t happening evenly across every age group or region, the overall direction is showing a clear shift.

Why These Changes Matter Beyond the Number on the Scale

GLP-1 medications help calm appetite, cravings, and blood sugar swings in a way most restrictive diets can’t even come close to. They take the pressure off, so people aren’t fighting hunger or food noise all day, which gives them space to build habits that finally stick. Things like eating enough protein, adding fiber slowly, drinking more water, moving more, sleeping better, and staying consistent without feeling overwhelmed.

The shift happening right now isn’t only about weight going down. It’s the changes happening inside the body. When the body isn’t under constant metabolic stress, everything works better. Energy, mood, mobility, recovery, overall health. All of it improves. That’s the real story behind these numbers.

So, when obesity rates start to dip, it isn’t about appearance. It shows that more people finally have access to tools that support long-term health, not just what they see in the mirror.

Common Conditions Tied to Obesity

When someone is living with obesity, it isn’t just extra weight. It usually comes with a host of health issues that show up over time. The most common ones are things like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, joint pain, and fatty liver disease. These aren’t random issues; they’re all connected to how the body handles extra fat, inflammation, and stress.

For example, when the body carries more weight, blood pressure often goes up because the heart has to work harder to push blood through the larger body. With sleep apnea, breathing doesn’t just get more difficult. It actually stops and starts through the night. Many people end up needing a CPAP machine to keep their airway open so they can breathe normally while they sleep. That’s why it leaves people so tired and worn down during the day. And poor sleep only makes things harder, because it throws off appetite hormones and increases cravings, which keeps the cycle going. With fatty liver disease, fat builds up in the liver and makes it tougher for the liver to do its job, which affects everything from digestion to hormone balance.

Joint pain is another big one. Knees, hips, and lower backs take on more load than they’re meant to, so simple things like getting out of bed, showering, walking, going up stairs, or getting out of a car can feel harder than they should.

These conditions don’t always show up all at once, they usually stack up over the years. And the hard part is that many people don’t feel the early signs until things are already progressing. That’s why even small improvements in weight, blood sugar, inflammation, or movement can make a huge difference in how someone feels day to day.

And this is why the new drop in obesity rates matters so much. When fewer people are living with obesity, fewer people end up developing these conditions in the first place. It doesn’t just change individual lives; it shifts what the whole population looks like in terms of long-term health.

Positive Financial Impact of Lower Obesity Rates

When we talk about obesity rates going down, the financial side matters just as much as the health side. Living with obesity often comes with a long list of medical expenses. Things like diabetes medications, CPAP machines, blood pressure prescriptions, lab work, specialist visits, and follow-up testing add up fast. Even when someone has insurance, the co-pays and out-of-pocket costs can be a lot.

But the financial impact isn’t only medical. There are everyday costs most people don’t think about until they look back and realize how much they were spending. Many people on GLP-1 medications say they’ve saved money because they don’t buy as much food. Not just groceries, but takeout, fast food, delivery apps, sugary coffees, snacks, and impulse buys.

Some people say they’re saving hundreds each month without even trying, because the urge to eat constantly isn’t running their day anymore. And a lot of them talk about using that extra money for things they never felt able to do before, like taking a trip or planning a vacation. For some, it isn’t just about having the budget. It’s that they finally feel comfortable enough to travel, fly, or go places they’ve avoided for years.

There are also practical things like furniture that wears out faster. Clothes and shoes that stretch out quicker and need to be replaced more often. Car seats and mattresses breaking down sooner than they should. None of this is talked about much, but it’s real, and it adds up over time.

So, when obesity rates start to decline, the financial relief isn’t just for the healthcare system. It shows up in people’s everyday lives too. Lower medical costs, fewer prescriptions, less food spending, less strain on household items. It all plays a part in why this downward trend matters.

What We Can Take from This

These medications give people a chance to work with their biology instead of fighting against it. They don’t replace healthy habits. They make it easier for someone to keep going long enough for those habits to feel natural again.

Most adults don’t stay on GLP-1s forever. A lot stop within a year, which means the long-term impact depends on the habits they build while they’re on them. Things like simple movement, basic strength training, eating nutritious meals, cooking at home when possible, and making better choices when eating out. GLP-1s give a strong start, but the changes that last come from what someone does day to day.

Based on the data we have right now, the biggest shift we’re seeing is most likely tied to GLP-1 use, especially among women and adults in midlife. For the first time in a long time, the numbers are finally moving in a better direction. And even though we still have to wait and see if this trend holds, it’s real progress.

---

Resource

1. Gallup | Obesity Rate Declining in U.S. |https://news.gallup.com/poll/696599/obesity-rate-declining.aspx ↩︎
2. Wiley Online Library | Effectiveness of weight loss interventions – is there a difference between men and women: a systematic review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.12241 ↩︎

Photo Credits

Map recreated using CDC BRFSS 2023 data.

Financial Growth Concept by Sy