---
type: source
title: "KFF Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Taking GLP-1 Drug, Even as Half Say Drugs Difficult to Afford"
author: "KFF (@KFF)"
url: https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/poll-1-in-8-adults-say-they-are-currently-taking-a-glp-1-drug-for-weight-loss-diabetes-or-another-condition-even-as-half-say-the-drugs-are-difficult-to-afford/
date: 2025
domain: health
secondary_domains: []
format: poll
status: unprocessed
priority: medium
tags: [glp-1, population-penetration, affordability, access, demographics, obesity]
---

## Content

KFF national poll on GLP-1 drug usage and affordability:

**Current usage:**
- **12% of adults** currently taking GLP-1 drug (for weight loss, diabetes, or other conditions)
- **18% ever took** a GLP-1 drug

**Usage by diagnosed condition:**
- Diabetes patients: 45% currently using
- Heart disease patients: 29% currently using
- Obese/overweight adults: **only 23% currently using** (77% eligible but not taking)

**Affordability findings:**
- **56% of current GLP-1 users** report difficulty affording these medications
- Even among insured users: 55% cite affordability challenges
- **27% of insured users** paid full cost out-of-pocket
- **14% of former users** stopped due to cost (vs. 13% stopped due to side effects)

**Demographic patterns:**
- Women: 15% currently taking (vs. 9% of men)
- Ages 50-64: 22% taking (highest)
- **Ages 65+: only 9%** — reflects Medicare's statutory exclusion of weight-loss drugs

## Agent Notes

**Why this matters:** The 23% figure is the key number — 77% of obese/overweight adults are NOT taking GLP-1s. This is the most direct evidence of the access-efficacy gap. The drugs work, they're available, and 3 in 4 eligible people aren't on them. The affordability data (56% of CURRENT users finding it hard to afford, 27% paying full OOP even with insurance) explains a significant portion of why.

**What surprised me:** The age 65+ usage rate (9%) is stark confirmation of the Medicare exclusion effect. Medicare beneficiaries are the population with the highest obesity burden and worst health outcomes, yet they have the lowest GLP-1 uptake. The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge launching in July 2026 may move this number, but the LIS exclusion will limit the gain.

**What I expected but didn't find:** A racial/ethnic breakdown in the search results. The demographic data shows gender and age but not race, which limits the ability to document the racial access gap from this source (Wasden 2026 from Session 23 remains the best source for that).

**KB connections:**
- The 77% non-uptake among eligible adults is the population penetration question's answer: GLP-1 is NOT achieving population-level coverage
- Connects directly to Belief 1 disconfirmation question: no, GLP-1s are NOT reversing the healthspan constraint at population scale
- The age 65+ pattern links to the Medicare structural exclusion story (see Medicare Bridge source)

**Extraction hints:**
- DATA POINT for existing access inversion claim: 23% of eligible obese/overweight adults taking GLP-1s; 77% access gap despite drug availability
- Supports scope qualification of any "GLP-1 is solving obesity" claim
- The "14% stopped due to cost" is an adherence driver distinct from the adherence literature (voluntary discontinuation vs. side effect discontinuation)

**Context:** KFF is the most credible health polling organization in the US. This is a nationally representative survey.

## Curator Notes (structured handoff for extractor)
PRIMARY CONNECTION: GLP-1 access inversion claim (Sessions 22-23); Belief 1 disconfirmation evidence
WHY ARCHIVED: Provides the population-level penetration number (23% of eligible obese/overweight adults) that puts the "1 in 8" headline in proper context. The 77% non-uptake is the key fact.
EXTRACTION HINT: Don't extract the 12% headline figure — extract the 23%-of-eligible figure. This is what quantifies the access gap at population scale.
