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Wegovy facts and statistics 2025

These current stats illustrate the popularity and effectiveness of Wegovy (semaglutide)
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By | Jun. 25, 2025 Medically reviewed by Karen Berger, Pharm.D.

Key takeaways

  • About 1 in 4 adults around the world are considered overweight. 

  • More than 16 million Americans have used an injectable medication for weight loss like Wegovy (semaglutide), Zepbound (tirzepatide), or Saxenda (liraglutide). 

  • In February 2024, Wegovy accounted for about 1 in 4 (28%) prescriptions for weight loss.

In this article:

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a weekly injectable weight loss medication that’s a type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient found in the Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic. Although semaglutide was originally developed to regulate blood sugar, it has proven effective for weight loss as well, which led to the popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy, resulting in a nationwide shortage. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wegovy for weight loss in adults with obesity—or who are overweight with at least one weight-related health condition. In 2022, the approval was expanded to include eligible individuals 12 years and older with obesity. In 2024, Wegovy was also approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in adults who are overweight or have obesity.

A monthly supply of Wegovy can cost more than $1,800 without insurance. However, growing insurance coverage and savings programs are helping to make it more accessible. As more people turn to Wegovy to manage obesity and improve their overall health, understanding who uses it, how it works, and what it really costs can be helpful. Read on to find out more key statistics and facts about this medication.

How many people are overweight?

People may be classified as overweight if their body mass index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were about 1.6 billion adults who were overweight (but not considered to have obesity). This number represented about 25% of the world’s population in 2022, meaning 1 in 4 adults globally were overweight. 

According to 2017–2018 data, about 31% of Americans were classified as overweight. Of those, 34% were adult males and 28% were adult females. About 1 in 6 (16%) of U.S. children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 were overweight. 

How many people have obesity?

WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define obesity as a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2. According to WHO, 890 million people (1 in 8) in the world were living with obesity in 2022. The prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022. 

Between 2021 and 2023, 40% of adults in the United States were living with obesity. Almost 1 in 10 U.S. adults (9%) were living with severe obesity, which is having a BMI of greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2. 

According to the CDC, adults between 40 and 59 years old had the highest rates of obesity (46%), while people who were 20 to 39 years old had the lowest rates of obesity (36%). Although there wasn’t a significant difference between obesity rates in American men and women, women were almost twice as likely to be living with severe obesity (12%) compared to men (7%). 

In 2023, the states with the highest rates of obesity were in the Midwest (36%) and the South (35%). West Virginia (41%), Mississippi (40%), Arkansas (40%), and Louisiana (40%) were states with the highest rates of obesity. The areas with the lowest rates of obesity in 2023 were the District of Columbia (24%), Colorado (25%), and Hawaii (26%). 

How many people have cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, is the leading cause of death worldwide. In 2021, more than 523 million people around the world were living with diagnosed cardiovascular disease, which accounted for over 20.5 million deaths. Most cardiovascular disease deaths (about 4 out of 5) are due to heart attacks and strokes. 

In the United States, 128 million adults had diagnosed heart disease in 2020. The American Heart Association expects that number to jump to 184 million by 2050.

How many people use Wegovy?

Although there aren’t any studies on how many people use Wegovy specifically, there are figures that estimate how many people have been prescribed or have used the drug. In May 2024, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, reported that more than 25,000 Americans each week were starting to take the weight loss medication at the time.  

Surveys done in 2024 estimate that between 6% and 12% of American adults have used an injectable medication for weight loss like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Zepbound (tirzepatide), or Saxenda (liraglutide). A Gallup poll published in May 2024 found that 6% of U.S. adults have used an injectable drug like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Saxenda (liraglutide) for weight loss. This represents almost 16 million Americans. A KFF survey published earlier that month found that about 1 in 8 (12%) of adults have tried a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro. 

A study published in 2025 reported that Wegovy was prescribed about 428,000 times in February 2024. Altogether, drugs with semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy) were prescribed 2.6 million times in the month of February 2024. 

Wegovy quickly became one of the most recognizable weight loss drugs since the FDA approved it in 2021. Its rise in popularity may be related to several factors. Before its approval for weight loss, Ozempic, another drug with semaglutide, was already becoming popular for its off-label use in weight loss, especially among celebrities and public figures. Once semaglutide received official approval for weight management as brand-name Wegovy, it became more accessible to people seeking medical support for weight loss.

In February 2024, Wegovy accounted for 28% of all prescriptions for weight loss drugs, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. That same month, it was the most searched weight loss drug online. The study found a strong pattern between the search trends and actual prescribing patterns. 

The demand for Wegovy and other semaglutide drugs has been so high that the FDA reported a drug shortage between March 2022 and February 2025, which is now resolved. 

How effective is Wegovy for cardiovascular risk?

Injectable semaglutide has been shown in studies to be effective in reducing cardiovascular risk. A large clinical trial studied Wegovy’s efficacy and safety for this new indication, randomly assigning over 17,600 participants to receive either Wegovy or a placebo (inactive treatment). Of the participants who took Wegovy, only 6.5% experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke) compared with 8% of participants who received a placebo. 

How much weight do people lose on Wegovy?

“Patients using Wegovy for weight loss can expect to lose approximately 10%–17% of their baseline body weight after approximately one year of use, especially when coupled with a balanced diet and regular physical activity,” says Kathryn Horton, an internal medicine physician and medical expert at Drugwatch. 

RELATED: Wegovy results: First month and beyond

In clinical trials, semaglutide showed promising results for people with high weight. People without diabetes who combined Wegovy with diet and exercise lost an average of 12% of their body weight over 68 weeks compared to those taking a placebo. In studies following semaglutide users over more than four years, the drug helped people maintain weight loss of about 10%–12% of their initial body weight. 

Compared to other common weight loss medications, semaglutide is one of the most effective. A meta-analysis published in 2023 compared the weight loss after one year on popular weight loss medications to a placebo. People on semaglutide lost an average of 14% of their starting weight after one year, which was more than people taking liraglutide (5%), phentermine/topiramate (9%), or bupropion/naltrexone (5%). 

However, Wegovy might not be the medication with the strongest weight loss effect. One clinical trial found that people on tirzepatide (Zepbound or Mounjaro) lost more weight (20% of their body weight) than people on semaglutide (14%) after 72 weeks. 

How much do Americans spend on Wegovy?

The average price of Wegovy is $1,820 per 4, 0.75 mL of 2.4 mg/0.75 mL single-dose pens—which is a 28-day supply. Prices vary by pharmacy, but this is an average of what people pay without insurance or discounts. With a SingleCare coupon, you could pay as low as $1,225 instead.

According to Novo Nordisk, the majority of people with health insurance coverage taking Wegovy pay less than $25 for a monthly supply. 

How many Americans use insurance for Wegovy?

It’s not clear how many Americans use insurance for Wegovy. Insurance coverage for weight loss medications can vary by insurance plan, location, and whether you meet specific criteria for coverage. A KFF survey of employer health benefits found that 1 in 5 (18%) of employers with more than 200 workers covered GLP-1 agonist drugs like Wegovy when prescribed for weight loss. Insurance plans may be more likely to cover Wegovy when used for cardiovascular risk reduction. 

How many Americans pay for Wegovy out of pocket?

Although exact numbers aren’t available, many Americans may pay for Wegovy out of pocket due to limited insurance coverage for weight loss medications. But there are ways to save on Wegovy for those whose insurance won’t cover it.

Wegovy side effects

The most common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. Common side effects occur in more than 1 in 20 people taking Wegovy. In clinical trials, about 4 in 9 (44%) subjects experienced nausea, the most common side effect of taking Wegovy.

Serious side effects of Wegovy include the risk of:

  • Thyroid C-cell tumors (this risk has been found in animal studies, but it is not known if the risk applies to humans)
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Acute gallbladder disease
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • Acute kidney injury
  • Allergic reactions
  • Diabetic retinopathy complications in patients with Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart rate increases
  • Suicidal behavior and ideation

About 7% of patients in clinical trials had to stop using Wegovy because of its side effects.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of Wegovy’s common side effects or if you have questions about whether it’s the right choice for managing weight or cardiovascular risk.