Researchers Find GLP-1s Could Benefit More Than 25% of Adults Globally

GLP-1s may be able to help address a critical public health issue: rising obesity rates. Given the strong global emphasis on the possibilities of GLP-1s—and exploration into how these drugs could be delivered— researchers with Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, Mass General Brigham, and Washington University School of Medicine sought to understand just how large the global eligible population might be. Their findings are published in a research letter in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

What They Found 

The researchers pooled data from 99 countries and 810,635 adults to determine how many adults would be eligible for GLP-1 use. They found:

●    One in four adults globally would be eligible for GLP-1s for weight management. 
●    Women, older adults, and low- and middle-income countries were among the most eligible

“Global access to GLP-1s is a question of health equity,” said co-lead author Felix Teufel, MD, from Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. “The goal is to ensure large-scale access for people who would benefit most – not just those easiest to reach.”

The study underscores an urgent need for tailored policies and programs to integrate GLP-1 agonists into routine care—guided by clinical priority, cost-effectiveness, and health care system capacity.