One in four people taking popular weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro found themselves throwing more food in the trash after starting the drugs, according to a new study.
The findings, published in the scientific journal “Nutrients,” highlighted an unintended consequence of the medications, which are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Researchers surveyed more than 500 current GLP-1 users across the country, asking them a series of questions online including, “Compared to the time before beginning the medication, have you changed the average number of calories you consume each day?”
Respondents were asked whether they agreed with the statement, “I waste more of the food that I purchase.” The survey found that 25% agreed, while 61% disagreed.
“We saw that if they were on the medication for longer, they tended to be less likely to agree with that statement, suggesting that they’ve probably made some adjustments, figured out how to rebalance their purchasing and not waste as much food,” said Brian Roe, an agricultural economics professor at Ohio State University.
Roe led the team that carried out the research.
“This will have major implications, not just for the health and medical sector, but also the food sector and the agricultural sector,” he said.
As the study noted, the drugs have been shown to impact eating habits by reducing appetite, slowing down gastric emptying and shifting food preferences.
“The folks who really were wasting a bit more were those who were suffering nausea, which is a common side effect of this type of medication,” said Roe. “This suggests that adverse medication effects can have an impact on food consumption and waste patterns.”
According to the researchers, use of GLP-1 drugs have been increasing in prevalence, “with about 12% of U.S. adults reported having taken at least one dose and 6% reporting active use, along with 59% of adults claiming to have heard some or a lot about these medicines.”
A separate study earlier this year found that monthly use of GLP-1 drugs has also soared in younger people aged 12 to 25.
That report showed that the number of 12 to 25-year-olds using the medications climbed from about 8,700 a month in 2020, to more than 60,000 a month in 2023 — a nearly 600% increase.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.