A recent study discovered that taking anti-obesity medications has caused some adults in the U.S. to waste more food than before they began the treatments.
A recent study discovered that taking anti-obesity medications has caused some adults in the U.S. to waste more food than before they began the treatments.
A survey conducted among individuals currently using GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, revealed that 25% of participants agreed to wasting more food due to the medications, while 61% disagreed with this statement. Those experiencing nausea from the drugs tended to report higher levels of food waste. Interestingly, a longer duration on the medications and a diet richer in vegetables were linked to less food waste.
Researchers from The Ohio State University see this study as a starting point to explore how these popular anti-obesity drugs might impact food production and waste on both national and global scales.
“This was a pilot study aimed at examining the implications of these medications and beginning to understand the types of foods that become more or less appealing after starting treatment,” stated Brian Roe, the senior author and a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics at Ohio State University.
“The observation that food waste tends to decrease as patients become accustomed to the medication suggests a straightforward approach might be beneficial—informing new patients about the potential for increased food waste as their eating habits change could help reduce both waste and their grocery bills.”
This research was recently published in the journal Nutrients.
In the United States, approximately one-third of all food is wasted, with about half of that waste coming from consumers, who are estimated to discard an average of 1 pound of food per person each day, according to the National Academies.
As of this spring, 6% of U.S. adults reported using GLP-1 agonists, which are designed to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity by acting on a hormone in the small intestine that helps lower blood sugar, slows stomach emptying, and signals fullness to the brain. In the study, nearly 70% of respondents were using semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), while almost a quarter were on terzepatide (Mounjaro).
The researchers gathered data from 505 U.S. adults currently using anti-obesity medications through an online questionnaire that addressed demographics, personal details, and changes in eating behaviors, weight, and food waste since starting the treatment. The analysis focused on responses to the statement: “Since beginning this medication, I have found I waste more of the food that I purchase.”
Participants varied in age, income, and education level, with most having insurance. On average, those who had been taking the medications for at least one year reported a 20% decrease in body weight.
Among the one-fourth of participants who had been on the medications for over a year, there was a lower likelihood of reporting food waste compared to those who had been on the drug for 90 days or less, which constituted about 30% of the respondents.
While nausea was a significant factor leading to food waste, the findings suggested another possible influence: shifts in taste preferences and habits that resulted in people discarding foods they no longer enjoyed. Overall, participants indicated they had increased their consumption of fruits, proteins, fish, and healthy fats, while reducing intake of alcohol, pasta, fried foods, sweets, and dairy products.
“Meat consumption showed no significant change after starting the medication,” Roe noted.
Increased vegetable consumption—the most commonly wasted food category in the U.S.—was associated with a lower likelihood of wasting food, indicating a positive shift toward more vegetable-rich diets.
Roe plans to investigate how taking anti-obesity medications affects household budgets, particularly in relation to pharmacy and food expenses. Given the rising prescription rates for GLP-1 agonists, there are significant economic and environmental implications at both local and global levels, he stated.
“Those using these medications are likely to spend less on food, but it remains to be seen if the savings on groceries can offset the costs of the medications,” he explained.
Other research has shown through simulations that reducing food consumption at a population level can help lower energy costs, conserve land and water, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing food waste in landfills. However, due to the relatively recent introduction of anti-obesity drugs, there isn’t yet enough data to anticipate their broader societal impacts.
“It’s evident that new anti-obesity medications could significantly influence global public health, and research indicates that changes in food intake can affect environmental impact indicators,” Roe said. “There are many important questions to explore regarding the sustainability of our food systems and healthcare.”
The first author of the study, Jamil Mansouri, a student of agricultural economics at Purdue University, conducted this research as a summer intern at Ohio State as part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Summer Research Opportunities Program.
This research received support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Ohio State’s Van Buren Fund, which backs Roe’s professorship in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
