More yogurt and nuts, less alcohol and snack foods: How GLP-1 medications like Ozempic are influencing people’s food spending habits

It’s no secret that weight loss drugs have exploded in popularity over the last two years, with about 12% of American adults reporting that they’ve used a medication like Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro to slim down. That’s a big portion of the population — and new research shows that being on these medications influences what people spend their money on.

One study, a joint effort by researchers from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, analyzed food-spending data from people who used GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The researchers discovered that households with at least one member on these medications had a drop in grocery spending by 5.5% within six months of starting the drug. The effect was even bigger in higher-income households, where spending plummeted by 8.6%.

The researchers also found a nearly 9% drop in spending for these households at fast-food chains, coffee shops and limited-service restaurants. They also saw a drop in calorie-dense processed foods like savory snacks and an uptick in nutrient-dense options, such as yogurt and fresh produce.

Another study, this one from Circana, had similar findings. It detected a drop in purchases of certain foods, although some of the spending bounced back to pre-medication levels after about a year. That trend was also picked up in the Cornell study, suggesting that these drugs may influence food spending habits — but only for a little bit.

So what types of foods and beverages were at the top and bottom of their shopping lists, and what’s behind this drop (and reversal) in food spending habits? Here’s what the data show, plus what doctors who treat patients on these medications want you to know.

What people on weight loss medications are buying — and avoiding

Each study found something slightly different, but there were distinct trends in food spending habits.

Overall, the research found that people on weight loss medications are buying more of these products:

• Yogurt

• Fresh produce

• Nutrition bars

• Gum

• Breath mints

• Tea

• Nuts

• Nonfruit drinks

• Beans

At the same time, the studies found that people on these medications are spending less on these goods:

• Snack foods

• Spicy foods

• Fatty proteins

• Drinks with added sugar

• Refrigerated salad dressings and spread

• Dried meat snacks

• Sweets

• Alcohol

Doctors say there are a few potential reasons why some foods are more popular than others with people on these medications. One is that these medications tend to decrease cravings for foods high in sugar and fat, Dr. Carrie Burns, a professor of clinical medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Penn Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. “This is likely due to the direct effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists on the brain appetite centers,” she says.

But these shoppers are also probably paying attention to what their doctors recommend, Dr. Allison Rhodes, a specialist in internal medicine and obesity medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. “I am hopeful the changes seen in these shoppers are the result of good clinical counseling from their prescribing providers,” she says.

Rhodes says there’s also been an increase in information on social media about what to eat on these medications, and some of it is good advice. “I am always pleasantly surprised when I start to discuss the nutritional implications of taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist with a patient, and they will say, ‘I saw on TikTok that I need to prioritize fiber and protein, so I already bought a fiber supplement and protein shakes,’” she says.

As for the increase in spending on mints and tea, these could be used to help people on GLP-1 receptor agonists deal with nausea, which is a common side effect of the drugs, Dr. Mir Ali, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. But these medications can also raise the risk of dry mouth and even bad breath, another factor that could explain the mints and gum.

Why did food spending go down at first?

It likely has a lot to do with motivation, according to Ali. “Going on these medications is a major step, and these people are usually motivated to get to a healthy weight,” he says. “They’ll say, ‘I’ve got to eliminate junk foods.’”

But the medications also just make people feel less hungry, Ali says. “Their appetite is suppressed, so they’re eating less,” he explains. “These things combine to reduce the amount they’re eating, and spending goes down.”

GLP-1 receptor agonists also decrease “food noise” — intrusive and persistent thoughts about food — that leads to cravings, Burns says. That can cause a drop in spending on snack foods and sweets, or even encourage people on these medications to stop buying them altogether, she says.

Why might food spending eventually go back up?

There are probably a few things going on here, according to Rhodes. GLP-1 receptor agonists have doses designed to be increased gradually over time, usually over five to six months, she explains. The initial stages can have the most impact. “During this ramp-up period, individuals tend to experience the greatest impacts on hunger, satiety and ‘food noise,’” Rhodes says. However, once people reach what’s known as a “maintenance dose,” which is designed to help them stay at a certain weight, they may not feel as much of an impact on their appetite and feelings of fullness, she says. As a result, they can start eating more again.

The initial motivation to follow a healthy diet may also decline over time, Ali says. Some people stop taking the medications and go back to their old eating habits too, he says. “A lot of people are paying out of pocket for these medications. They may stop paying due to the cost or reach their goal weight and stop,” Ali says. “They then tend to slip back into the old habits.”

Ultimately, doctors say that proper nutrition matters

Doctors stress that good nutrition is crucial to get the best results on these medications. “People who see the best weight loss results are also focused on what they eat,” Ali says. Paying attention to proper nutrition on these medications can help lower the risk of regaining weight if someone goes off the drugs, he points out.

Rhodes specifically recommends that her patients focus on fiber, protein and fat. “Because they are going to feel full more quickly with GLP-1, they need to make sure they are still providing their body with the diversity of nutrition they need for overall health, even if the portions are smaller,” she says. Rhodes also suggests that people on these medications fill up half of their plate with high-fiber vegetables, and one quarter with protein. “Split the remaining fourth of your plate between a healthy, plant-based fat and whole grains, fruits or starchy vegetables,” she says.

“Overall, I encourage patients to prioritize nutritional quality as much as possible, as when you are eating smaller portions and less often, literally every bite matters to further improve your health,” Rhodes says.