One in five Britons would use weight-loss drug if free on NHS, poll reveals
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Survey also finds one in seven have either taken such jabs themselves or know someone who has. One in five Britons would use a weight-loss drug if it was free on the NHS, according to polling that also shows one in seven have either taken a jab themselves or know someone who has.
But almost one in four people would not tell others if they were using them, suggesting the growing popularity of weight-loss jabs is accompanied by persistent stigma about them. Drugs such as semaglutide, better known as Wegovy or Ozempic, are booming in popularity globally as fast-growing numbers of people turn to them to shed unwanted pounds.
The drugs, which belong to a group known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists – have been proved to aid weight loss, help type 2 diabetics manage their blood sugar levels and prevent heart attacks and strokes. The polling firm Ipsos surveyed a representative sample of 2,161 UK adults aged 18-75 between 13 and 17 December about their attitudes to and experiences of weight-loss drugs.
Overall, 22% said they would be fairly or very likely to use such injections if they were provided by the NHS. However, many more – 63% – said they would not use them even then. But far fewer people – just 8% – would take the drugs if they had to pay for them themselves, given they cost an average of £180-220 a month to buy privately.
