Sunlight.com Survey: 4 in 10 Overweight Americans Say They'll Try a GLP-1 Pill in 2026

Most current GLP-1 users are interested in switching to an oral form

KIRKLAND, Wash., Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey from Sunlight.com finds strong interest in GLP-1 medications in pill form among overweight Americans. The January 2026 survey of 2,000 overweight U.S. adults examined GLP-1 use for weight loss, barriers to starting, reasons for discontinuation, and interest in switching from injectable medications to oral options.

Nearly half of overweight Americans (49%) report having taken a GLP-1 for weight loss. This includes 39% who say they are currently taking a GLP-1 and 10% who say they previously took one but stopped.

For non-users, injections are a key obstacle. Among those who have never taken a GLP-1 for weight loss, 30% say injections played a role in their decision not to start, and 11% say injections are the main reason they have not tried one.

Among past users who discontinued, injections also contribute. Twenty-two percent say injections were the main reason they stopped, and 30% say injections were one of the reasons. Cost and side effects were more commonly cited, however: 45% say cost was a factor and 41% cite side effects.

Among overweight Americans who are not currently taking a GLP-1, 42% say they are likely to start one in 2026. Nearly half (47%) say they would prefer a pill, compared with 24% who prefer injections, while the rest say they are unsure. When considering whether to start, the top factors are cost (70%), side effects (62%), and effectiveness (54%).

Interest in pills is also high among current users. Among people currently taking a GLP-1, 87% say they are interested in switching to a pill, including 59% who are very interested. Among those interested in switching, 43% say they have already taken steps to do so, including asking their doctor (62%), researching online (58%), and checking insurance coverage (57%).

"After years of only having injectable GLP-1s, it's exciting that patients may have both a pill and an injection option" says Dr. Angela Tran, Sunlight.com chief medical advisor. "The tradeoff is that injections tend to have more predictable absorption, while pills can come with strict timing instructions, and missing daily doses can affect effectiveness."

Full report: https://www.sunlight.com/news/4-in-10-overweight-americans-say-theyll-try-a-glp-1-pill-in-2026/

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SOURCE Sunlight