The Public Health Impact of GLP-1 Advertising Exposure in the U.S.

The recent discovery that a class of drugs collectively known as “GLP-1s” (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) can promote weight loss has led to a surge in pharmaceutical production, demand, and advertising. While previous research has considered the impact that advertising exposure may have on public demand for using GLP-1s for weight management, few have considered the broader public health impacts (both positive and negative) of GLP-1 advertising. For example, increased GLP-1 advertisement exposure could make people more self-conscious about their own weight and physical appearance. It could also promote destigmatizing views toward those who use GLP-1 products for weight management. In a nationally representative survey of N = 1,000 US adults, we find that people exposed to higher levels of GLP-1 advertising tend to hold more negative views about their own weight and physical appearance. We find no evidence that ad exposure is associated with destigmatizing views about those who use GLP-1 products, although we find strong evidence that exposure can stimulate demand for GLP-1 products. These results hold across a wide range of measures and model specifications. We conclude by discussing the potential public health risks of GLP-1 advertising, in a changing regulatory landscape.