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As weight-loss pens, which are GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (an intestinal hormone that regulates blood glucose, reduces appetite and influences metabolism), such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, have stopped affecting only medical offices and have begun to influence consumer behavior as well. In the United States, the so-called “weight-loss drugs” are already changing the way Americans buy food in supermarkets.
A study from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, titled The No-Hunger Games: How GLP-1 Medication Adoption is Changing Consumer Food Demand, analyzed transaction data from a panel of 150,000 households linked to proprietary surveys on the adoption of these drugs. In July 2024, about 16.3% of U.S. households had at least one GLP-1 user, corresponding to roughly 8.3% of the country’s population. “Almost half of adopting households in our sample report taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss,” the researchers say.
This shift showed a larger impact on high-income households, with a reduction of up to 8.2% in food spending. In addition, there was an overall 8% decrease in spending at fast-food chains, coffee shops and quick-service restaurants. These adjustments persisted during the first year of medication use, though with some attenuation after six months.
Among the most affected categories were ultra-processed foods, such as savory snacks (-10.1%), sweet bakery items (-8.8%) and cookies (-6.5%). However, virtually all food groups were impacted, including meats (-5.8%), eggs (-5.7%), breads (-5.2%) and even fresh vegetables (-5%). Fresh milk and creams (-4.2%) also declined over the period.
The “functional paradox”
In addition to proper nutrition, physical activity has gained a central role in protocols involving GLP-1. The SEMALEAN study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, provides a detailed synthesis of how these drugs influence body composition and muscle function in patients with obesity. Unlike common concerns about indiscriminate tissue loss, the study demonstrates a “functional paradox”: improved muscle strength despite an initial quantitative reduction in lean mass.
Between February 2022 and November 2024, 115 patients received 2.4 mg of semaglutide (the active ingredient of this drug class) weekly for 12 months. Patients experienced an average weight loss of 10% at 7 months and 13% at 12 months. Total body fat decreased by 14.3% at 7 months and reached an 18.9% reduction at the end of one year, with a significant focus on visceral fat.
The researchers observed that the substance is not only suppressing appetite: it enables favorable body remodeling by drastically reducing visceral fat, in addition to improving the quality of the remaining muscle. For this reason, specialists emphasize that engaging in regular physical activity is “mandatory” and “essential” in light of the lifestyle change, as well as considering drug interactions.
The importance of protein during treatment
Medications of this type differ from any previous intervention, such as diets or sugary drink taxation policies (taxes applied to products with a high sugar content) because they act directly on the body’s hunger signals. The study authors explain that they mimic a natural hormone in the body and act on the brain to reduce appetite and increase feelings of satiety, which helps lower calorie intake.
This movement raises an important alert, because consumers need to take precautions to ensure essential nutrients are not neglected. An article published by the coordinator of the Medicine course at Centro Universitário São Camilo in São Paulo, Raphael Einsfeld, and nutritionist Marcus Quaresma explains that the protein intake range for sedentary people is around 0.6 to 1 g/kg/day, while physically active people should consume between 1.6 and 2.2 g/kg/day. Older adults should consume between 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg/day.
“Animal-source proteins are considered more efficient for maintaining and increasing muscle mass and strength due to their high biological value and essential amino acid profile,” they advise. Topside, filet mignon and rump cap, as well as other lean cuts, are recommended.
Sources:
- Alíquotas de Bens e Serviços e do Imposto Seletivo devem ser fixadas este ano
- Impact of Semaglutide on fat mass, lean mass and muscle function in patients with obesity: The SEMALEAN study
- Proteína para que te quero: a relação entre ingestão proteica, força e massa muscular
- The No-Hunger Games: How GLP-1 Medication Adoption is Changing Consumer Food Demand
- Uso de canetas emagrecedoras acende alerta para perda de massa magra
