1 in 3 Feed Me readers surveyed use a GLP-1.

“I use them secretly but think it’s embarrassing.”

Feed Me is sponsored by Found today, which means there is no paywall.

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In the past few years, GLP-1 drugs have taken over every corner of the conversation. It's become impossible to schmooze at a cocktail party, open TikTok, or read the daily news without hearing about drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy — and how they are revolutionizing the way we think and talk about weight loss.

At the end of last year, I published a newsletter titled Don’t Feed Me that prompted readers to discuss their experiences and perceptions around weight-loss drugs. It became one of the most popular and widely shared letters I published last year. Feed Me’s coverage of GLP-1s has hit cruising altitude since then, with comment section after comment section going deep on the rapidly changing weight-loss industry’s ripple effect through culture.

Feed Me’s reader surveys are one of the pillars of this newsletter. Thousands of subscribers have been involved with starting conversations about what it’s like to be single in New York, what kind of plastic surgery treatments millionaires get, and the death of social etiquette.

So when Found — a physician-designed weight care platform — reached out to learn how we could work together, I was excited to team up with them on a survey to learn about my audience’s GLP-1 usage. I had editorial independence, and Alex Citrin (an art director I met in the Feed Me comment section) helped illustrate the results. If you still have questions at the end of this letter (I do) we’ll be doing a Guest Lecture with Found’s Head of Medical Affairs, Dr. Rekha Kumar, next week.

As results came in over the last month, the way I think about this entire conversation has shifted (as has been the case with almost every Feed Me survey to date). Of the 1039 responses, these were some of the most notable takeaways:

• Over 35% of respondents (372 people) said they currently use or have used a GLP-1 medication.

• The most common age bracket for people who take GLP-1s was 30–39 years old (44% of users), followed by 40–49 (29%).

• Access to GLP-1 medication often happens outside of traditional specialist care. Only 18% got their prescription from a specialist doctor (endocrinologist, etc.), about 30% went through their primary care physician. The largest group (~33%) obtained GLP-1 prescriptions via online programs or telehealth platforms (such as services like Found, Noom, Hims/Hers, etc.)

• When asked about their primary reason for starting a GLP-1, an overwhelming majority said weight loss.

• And the most common question respondents still have about GLP-1s: "What are the long-term effects?" This concern, phrased in varying ways, appeared in more than 80 responses, signaling deep confusion about the unknowns.

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Far more respondents are using GLP-1s than I expected.

People who use GLP-1s can be secretive, but most agree that these drugs are becoming more normalized, visible and widely-discussed – like Botox. I noticed that many of the respondents who currently use GLP-1s were open to writing about their experience (mostly positive) and those who had never taken the drugs were equally skeptical of them and exhausted by the moralization of the drug use.

“Over 35% of respondents said they currently use or have used a GLP-1 medication.”

Unsurprisingly, most respondents had strong opinions on the drugs.

“It’s kind of cheating, shouldn’t we all work to get healthy, not thin? Also I hate the pendulum swing back to skinny = beautiful that this has caused but also I want it? And that’s the most sinister part to me. It’s almost too easy not to.” - W, 30-39, Paris, has never used GLP-1s.

“I use them secretly but think it’s embarrassing.” - W, 40-49, San Francisco, currently uses GLP-1s.

“I am still embarrassed for other people if they get on them.” - W, 30-39, Little Rock, Arizona, has never used GLP-1s.

“I feel like they aren't fair. I'm trying hard to lose 10 lbs and I wonder why I don't just take Ozempic. I can afford it. It seems like there is something ethical and moral at play.” - W, 30-39, Captain Cook, Hawaii, has never used GLP-1s.

“Love them - changed my life and would encourage anyone who is interested in changing their relationship with food and their body to try them (safely and with doctor and therapist supervision!)” - W, 30-39, New York City, currently uses GLP-1s.

“The thought and discourse around them makes me quite anxious—it sets off a cascade of hating my body thoughts.” - W, 20-29, Washington, D.C, has never used GLP-1s.

“I have strong opinions about people who have strong opinions about other people takings GLPs. We need to put a stop to the culture of shame towards what people chose to do with their body. Increasing bodies of research are showing GLPs are actually beneficial for disease processes such as inflammation, metabolic syndromes, cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases. I am sick and tired of the yassification and culture war that has broken out over this medication. With all that said, the court case is fascinating and potentially groundbreaking for big pharma vs. the little guys.” - W, 30-39, San Diego, has never used GLP-1s.

“Same thing as taking vitamins or fancy supplements. If you want to opt in, that's your body and choice.” – W, 20-29, New York, currently uses GLP-1s.

“Their bodies, their business. I don't care if people use it for weight loss - whatever makes you feel good.” - W, 30-39, Brooklyn, has never used GLP-1s

“Our bodies have their own intelligence and thrive when we give them what they truly need, which is actually quite simple and straightforward when it comes to the essentials. GLP-1s are NOT what our bodies or minds truly need—and I believe they will cause much harm over time. Everyone has the right to make choices about their own body, but I worry most about the kids being pushed to take these drugs.” - W, 50-59, Chiang Mai, Thailand, has never used GLP-1 medications and doesn’t know anyone who does.

“It has absolutely changed my life. I am not consumed with thoughts of food (my next meal, my next treat, what's in the fridge, I need to "be good" because of my last binge). Food is still enjoyable, but it's been reduced down to something elemental - something I need to sustain me vs something to be utterly devoured.” - W, 30-39, Alabama, currently uses GLP-1s.

“I think a lot about the brain space freed up for women that has historically been occupied by those 10-15 pounds you can’t shake. I rarely think about my weight anymore. I feel like this is part of the feminist movement is the freedom to forget about the shape of our bodies. Hot take.” – W, 30-39, Miami, currently uses GLP-1s.

These drugs are expensive.

63% of respondents who are using GLP-1s are paying entirely out-of-pocket, some spending over $1,000/month. A surprising number of respondents said that they would consider changing jobs just to access better insurance. Weight-loss drugs have become a workplace benefit worth job hopping for, similar to egg freezing or mental health stipends.

How much people spent per month:

• $650/month: 13 respondents

• $500/month: 32 respondents

• $400/month: 18 respondents

• $300/month: 37 respondents

• $200/month: 26 respondents

Roughly 37% of people who use GLP-1s have reduced food spending by $100+ monthly.

We asked: If applicable, how do the costs of GLP-1 medications impact your shared financial situation with your partner or family member? The responses ranged.

“My mom quit her job, before she quit her Ozempic was $0 with insurance. Now that she has shitty insurance, it costs like $679. Now she has to decide if it is worth paying to stay skinny.” - W, 20-29, New York, has never used GLP-1s.

“My parents are the GLP-1 users and have the funds to do it, the running joke in the family is now if you want to rob us the most valuable thing in the house is all the Zepound in the freezer, my mom is also a physician which helps with ease of access.” - W, 20-29, Alexandria, VA, has never used GLP-1s.

“We used to share costs of groceries, meals out, even social events with food and all those have changed as a result.” - W, 20-29, Los Angeles, has never used GLP-1s.

When asked about how GLP-1 usage has changed their grocery spending habits, people responded:

• 27% said their spending hasn’t changed significantly.

• 26% said they’ve reduced grocery costs by $100-$300 monthly.

• 18% said they spend about the same but buy different types of food.

• 15% said they’ve reduced grocery costs by a small amount (under $100).

• 10% said they’ve reduced grocery costs by a significant amount (over $300).

23% of people who take GLP-1s said that they’ve considered taking a new job since they went on them. Some of these people indicated that this was for better insurance coverage, but I’m curious if some of these people were living healthier lives after using the drugs, and then wanted to improve other areas of their lives.

“Greatest drug since Viagra.” - Male, 60+, Washington, DC

Most people who use GLP-1s aren’t getting them from their primary care doctor.

33% obtained GLP-1 prescriptions via online programs such as services like Found, Noom, Hims/Hers, etc. 31% used their primary care physician. 17% used a specialist like an endocrinologist. 14% used a “wellness” provider like a medspa.

Some other answers included:

• "Borrowed" from a friend

• Psychiatrist

• Through a website I found online

• I get them on the gray market online

• I buy dry powder "research" peptides which I reconstitute myself

Unlike Found, Hims and Noom don’t accept any form of insurance. At Found, patients typically pay $30 per visit with insurance, though coverage may vary.

And while 82% of people who take GLP-1s said they were using them for weight loss, that wasn’t the only reason.

Binge eating: “It has absolutely changed my life. I am not consumed with thoughts of food (my next meal, my next treat, what's in the fridge, I need to ‘be good’ because of my last binge). Food is still enjoyable, but it's been reduced down to something elemental - something I need to sustain me vs something to be utterly devoured.” - W, 30-39, Mobile, AL

PCOS: “I have struggled with PCOS for many years. This mostly manifests itself as weight gain. All of these issues have resolved since being on the medication, but also other symptoms as well. It really changed my life.” - W, 30-39, Boston, MA

Menopause: “I used to think it was taking drugs away from people who actually needed them (diabetics) but now I am way more open to trying them since my doctor recommended it for me (in perimenopause, trying to lose 40+ pounds after 2 kids).” - W, 40-49, San Diego, CA

10% of the survey respondents were men. And 37% of those men have taken GLP-1s.

Men who take GLP-1s strong opinions about the drugs include:

• “Amazing technology.” - M, 30-39, Bergen County, NJ

• “These drugs are going to save and extend a lot of lives, but other people's opinions are getting in the way of that.” - 40-49, St. Louis, MO

• “They seem to work wonders on mental compulsions.” - 40-49, Sag Harbor, NY

• “Fucking magic that deserves to be priced better.” - 40-49, Bend, OR

• “They're great, although side effects suck.” - 40-49, Bellevue, WA

• “Side effects kinda suck but so does a middle aged man’s metabolism.” - 40-49, Atlanta, GA

• “They should be taken more widely. Poor eating habits and obesity contribute to so many health issues. GLP-1s help regulate how much food people consume, making it easier to focus on making healthy choices.” - 40-49, Los Angeles

Men who don’t take GLP-1s strong opinions about the drugs include:

• “I think they are amazing, they seem like literal medical marvels!” - 20-29, Gainesville, Florida

• “Increasingly, when I see someone who is overweight I ask myself (or my wife) why aren't they on a GLP-1? Similarly, we assume any celebrity who has lost weight has used them.” - 40-49, New York

• “I am okay with people taking them - I know multiple people that openly do - but what irks me is when people lie about it. As an avid gym goer and someone who puts their health at the forefront of their lifestyle, I get so annoyed when people make excuses and lies. It is the same thing as plastic surgery - I’m thinking about Pedro Pascal recently - if you get plastic surgery, that’s cool, just own it! We all are self centered and care about the way we look, but taking a shortcut but saying you took the long road is way more embarrassing than just being honest.” - 30-39, Los Angeles

• “I really want them to be a miracle drug. The compound effect of helping millions of people lose weight is pretty awesome to think about. Long lifespans, less money spent on healthcare, more confidence. Sounds great to me!” 30-39, Los Angeles

• “Dumb to use without additional support of a dietitian to develop a plan to get off drugs.” - 20-29, Boston, MA

• “Greatest drug since Viagra.” - 60+, Washington, DC

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• Sweetgreen hired chef-turned-model Pierce Abernathy as the spokesperson for…peaches? It’s unclear if Pierce will be working with them on a menu collaboration, but he isn’t tagged so I think they just hired him as a pretty face that moves peaches.

• Balenciaga
  joined Substack. They’re not only the first high-fashion house to join the platform, but they’ll also be the first to use Substack’s live-streaming tools to debut a collection. The brand’s short film with The Simpsons will always be my favorite marketing moment, but they’ve repeatedly used TikTok, Instagram and now Substack extremely effectively compared to their peers. Excited to see how they’ll use the platform after Demna’s final show.

• I went to buy a copy of Abundance at Sag Harbor Books this morning but it was sold out. Ezra and Derek know their audience.

• Happy Hour is illegal in Massachusetts – but maybe not for long. The statewide Happy Hour ban was instituted in 1984 to “curb excessive and rapid drinking and drunk driving accidents.” But the bill is up for discussion again – a state House and Senate joint committee heard testimony yesterday.

• RIP Stepford Wife spandex workout sets (2016-2025). The people want breezy, movable, eccentric workout wear. Think Amagansett mom in her first husband’s oversized college t-shirt. “Bitchy capri flares.” Thrift store neon pink Adidas shorts. Nobody is covering the world of activewear like

  Liana Satenstein
  . Down with minimal pastel sets, in with sassy activewear. Now I’m off to see what the Hamptons thrift stores have to offer in the tennis skirt department….

• This morning, New York Magazine published a story about a raw milk delivery guy. His customers sound like nightmares: unvaccinated, “trying to get off oat milk desperately,” and convinced that raw milk is helping them get pregnant. As a reminder, bird flu was detected last year in the same raw milk being sold at Erewhon.

• Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter is launching a podcast! Status will be teaming up with In The Arena Studios, which is run by Chris Corcoran (who has worked with everyone from Crooked Media to Goop). It sounds like the show (“No spin, no fluff, just sharp analysis which isn’t afraid to call it like it is”) will be in the same sphere as Puck’s The Grill Room and Vox’s Channels, both of which don’t have video – yet.