Why GLP-1s carry stigma that dieting doesn’t
Weight loss through diet and exercise is perceived as evidence of self-control, and the visible effort is what earns the social reward.
Medication takes that visible effort away. People still lose weight, but the cultural perception changes from ‘they worked hard’ to ‘they took a shortcut’.
UK regulators and the World Health Organisation (WHO) classify obesity as a chronic medical condition, but public attitudes still treat body size as a reflection of character rather than a clinical condition.
A 2025 study in Obesity Science & Practice tested this directly. Giving people information about anti-obesity medications didn’t change how strongly they believed obesity was a ‘failure of willpower’.2
Telling people that obesity is a medical condition isn’t enough, on its own, to change how they react when someone uses medication to manage it.
What the new study found
The research, led by Erin Standen at Rice University, ran two experiments.
Participants read short profiles of fictional adults and rated them on dimensions like warmth, competence, and trust.1
In the first study, 607 participants were randomly assigned to read about a person who had lost weight using a GLP-1, lost weight via diet and exercise, or had not lost weight at all.1
The GLP-1 condition scored worst on the warmth and trust ratings, below both the dieter and the person who hadn’t lost weight.
The second study, with 706 participants, added a regain scenario.
Participants rated targets who had kept the weight off alongside targets who had lost weight and then regained some after stopping their method, either GLP-1 medications or a diet and exercise plan.1
Both regain conditions were rated more negatively than the weight-maintained conditions. The judgement of regain didn’t depend on which weight-loss method had been used.
The studies used fictional profiles in an online experiment rather than real-world social interactions, and the participants were US-based.
| Aspect |
Study 1 |
Study 2 |
| Participants |
607 US adults |
706 US adults |
| Conditions tested |
GLP-1 weight loss vs. diet and exercise weight loss vs. no weight loss |
Regain after stopping a GLP-1, regain after stopping a diet, weight maintained, no weight loss |
| Main finding |
GLP-1 users rated worst on warmth and trust, below dieters and below people who hadn’t lost weight |
Both regain groups rated more negatively than weight-maintained groups; the weight-loss method before the regain didn’t change the rating |
| Setting |
Online, randomised |
Online, randomised |
What the regain finding shows
Study 2 tested whether stopping a GLP-1 and regaining some weight is judged differently from stopping a diet and regaining the same amount of weight. It isn’t.1
Weight regain attracted more negative ratings than weight maintenance, but the weight-loss method didn’t change how the regain was viewed.
People judge the regain itself, regardless of how the weight was lost in the first place.
How it looks in the UK
The MHRA authorised Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight management in November 2023.3 NICE recommended it for NHS use in December 2024.4
Wegovy (semaglutide) was authorised earlier. NICE recommended it for NHS use in March 2023, with NHS rollout through specialist weight management services from September 2023.5
Mounjaro is licensed by the MHRA for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition.
NHS access under NICE TA1026 is stricter: adults with a BMI of 40 or higher and at least four weight-related comorbidities are eligible in the first year of primary care rollout, with the cohort expanding in stages.
Around 220,000 patients are expected to be eligible by the end of the first three years of primary care rollout, with the full eligible population reached over a maximum 12-year phased implementation.4
Clinical guidelines treat obesity as a disease, but most people still treat it as a willpower problem.
A 2026 UK survey, commissioned by Simple Online Healthcare and based on 2,000 UK adults and 3,086 GLP-1 patients, reported that nearly half of UK adults don’t recognise obesity as a medical condition.6
Two-thirds of UK patients on GLP-1 medications hide their treatment from some or all friends and family.
Around 38% report direct judgement for using a GLP-1, and around 80% of those who report judgement have been told they’re ‘taking the easy way out’.6
Women were more likely than men both to hide their treatment and to report being judged for using it.6
Women face more weight-related stigma than men in most settings, not just on GLP-1 use.
Why the ‘easy way out’ framing is wrong
The ‘easy way out’ framing compares people taking medication to people who never struggled with their weight. By that comparison, any treatment looks like a shortcut.
A more useful comparison is to people who have tried other approaches for many years without lasting results.
Obesity is a chronic condition shaped by genetics, hormones, environment, and behaviour. After weight loss, hunger hormones rise, and the body burns fewer calories at rest. This is why long-term weight loss through diet and exercise alone is hard to maintain for most people.
Medication is one of several evidence-based treatments for obesity, alongside structured lifestyle programmes and, for some, bariatric surgery. The fact that it works isn’t an argument against using it.
Nobody criticises someone with type 1 diabetes for taking insulin, or someone with high blood pressure for taking medication to manage it.
Both medications make managing the condition easier than diet and lifestyle changes alone, and neither is described as cheating.
The Standen study documents the stigma but doesn’t test how to reduce it.
Goldkorn and colleagues’ 2025 study suggests that giving people information about how the medications work doesn’t change the belief that weight is about willpower.2
Public attitudes change slowly, mostly through repeated personal contact rather than one-off educational pieces.
Until they do, accurate information about how the medications work is a useful starting point for any conversation about them.
GLP-1 medications and habit change work together. The medication reduces hunger and food cravings, providing more mental space to develop healthier habits that keep the weight off in the long term.
A metaphor our coaches like to use is that the medication is the stabilisers on a bike, and habits are the bike itself.
Patients being treated for any long-term condition are entitled to privacy about that treatment.
Anyone wanting to understand the medication better, whether they’re considering it, supporting someone using it, or working alongside patients, can speak with a GP, registered dietitian, or registered nutritionist.
Frequently asked questions
Is taking Mounjaro or Wegovy really the easy way out?
No. Mounjaro and Wegovy reduce food noise and hunger, but they don’t build the habits that sustain weight loss after the medication stops.
Most people on a GLP-1 still have to learn to eat differently, move more, and sleep better.
The medication makes those changes possible, not unnecessary.
Should I tell my friends and family I’m on Mounjaro or Wegovy?
There’s no obligation to disclose the medication you’re on.
Around two-thirds of UK patients on GLP-1 medications don’t tell some or all of their friends and family.6
Some people find it easier to talk about openly; others prefer to keep it private. Both are reasonable choices.
Telling your prescriber is a separate conversation, and that’s the one your clinician needs.
Will I regain the weight if I stop Mounjaro or Wegovy?
Weight regain after stopping a GLP-1 is common when patients haven’t developed the eating, movement, and sleep habits needed to maintain the weight loss.
People who use their time on the medication to build those habits are the ones most likely to sustain the weight loss after stopping.
Why does the new study say GLP-1 users are judged more than people who haven’t lost weight?
In the Standen study, participants rated fictional GLP-1 users worse than fictional dieters and, on some measures of warmth and trust, worse than people who hadn’t lost weight at all.1
The likely explanation is that the ‘easy way out’ framing removes the social approval that visible effort usually earns.
How common is it to hide GLP-1 treatment in the UK?
Around two-thirds of UK patients on GLP-1 medications hide their treatment from some or all friends and family, according to a 2026 commissioned survey of 3,086 patients.6
Women were more likely than men to hide their treatment.6
Why are women more likely to hide GLP-1 treatment than men?
Women face more weight-related stigma than men in most settings, not just on GLP-1 use.
Women are also more likely than men to report being judged for using a GLP-1 in the 2026 Simple Online Healthcare survey.6
Does the new study mean I should stop taking my GLP-1?
No. The Standen study is about how other people judge GLP-1 users in an online experiment using fictional profiles.
It says nothing about whether the medication works or whether you should be taking it.
Decisions about starting or stopping a GLP-1 should be made with your prescriber.
What’s the difference between using medication and using willpower?
Hunger isn’t a willpower failure. It’s a biological signal influenced by the balance of hunger and fullness hormones like ghrelin and GLP-1, which rise and fall based on your genetics, what you’ve eaten, how much you’ve slept, and how much weight you’ve lost.
Mounjaro and Wegovy mimic GLP-1, which reduces hunger and food cravings. This is why eating less feels easier on the medication than off it.
Willpower is a finite resource that depletes under stress, sleep loss, and hunger.
Traci Mann’s research at the University of Minnesota, which reviewed long-term diet studies, found that most people regain the weight they lost within two to five years, regardless of which diet they followed.9
Willpower isn’t designed for the years of consistent decision-making that sustainable weight management requires.
Take home message
The Standen study confirms in a controlled setting what many people on GLP-1 medications already experience in everyday life.
Participants in the study rated people on Mounjaro and Wegovy more negatively than dieters, and on some measures more negatively than people who hadn’t lost weight at all.1
In the regain scenario, both methods drew the same level of judgement. People judge the regain itself, not the GLP-1 specifically.
The findings come from US online experiments using fictional profiles, so the size of the effect in the UK isn’t known. The pattern matches what UK survey data shows about public attitudes towards GLP-1 medications.6
Evidence on what protects against weight regain after stopping a GLP-1 suggests that coming off the medication slowly and building healthy habits are essential.
The STEP 1 trial extension reported that participants regained around two-thirds of their lost weight in the year after stopping semaglutide, even alongside lifestyle support.7
The medication reduces hunger and food noise, which makes habit change possible.
The habits developed during treatment are what support long-term weight management once the prescription ends.
Second Nature’s medication programme combines Mounjaro with structured nutrition guidance from registered dietitians, built around the balanced plate model: half vegetables, a quarter protein, a quarter complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread, brown rice, or oats, plus a serving of fat.
Our peer-reviewed JMIR study of the GLP-1RA-supported programme reported an average weight loss of 19.1% at 12 months among active subscribers, with 77.7% achieving at least 10% weight loss.8
Second Nature's Mounjaro and Wegovy programmes
Second Nature provides Mounjaro or Wegovy as part of our Mounjaro and Wegovy weight-loss programmes.
Why choose Second Nature over other medication providers, assuming you're eligible?
Because peace of mind matters.
We've had the privilege of working with the NHS for over eight years, helping people across the UK take meaningful steps toward a healthier, happier life.
Our programmes are designed to meet people where they are, whether that means support with weight loss through compassionate one-to-one health coaching, or access to the latest weight-loss medications (like Mounjaro and Wegovy) delivered alongside expert care from a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists, dietitians, and personal trainers.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: real, lasting change comes from building better habits, not relying on quick fixes. We're here to support that change every step of the way.
With over a decade of experience, thousands of lives changed, and a long-standing record of delivering programmes used by the NHS, we believe we're the UK's most trusted weight-loss programme.
We hope to offer you something invaluable: peace of mind, and the support you need to take that first step.
References
- Standen, E. C., Phelan, S. M., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2026). An experimental investigation of the stigmatization of weight loss and regain from GLP-1 receptor agonist use and cessation. International Journal of Obesity. Online ahead of print.
- Goldkorn, M., Schwartz, B., & Monterosso, J. (2025). Views among the general public on new anti-obesity medications and on the perception of obesity as a failure of willpower. Obesity Science & Practice, 11(2), e70041.
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. (2023). MHRA authorises diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight management and weight loss.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2024). Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity (TA1026).
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2023). Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875).
- Simple Online Healthcare. (2026). Breaking the silence: GLP-1 treatment, social stigma, and public perception in the UK (2026 stigma survey). [Commissioned commercial survey, not peer-reviewed.]
- Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of once-weekly semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 24(8), 1553–1564.
- Richards, R., Whitman, M., Wren, G., & Campion, P. (2025). A Remotely Delivered GLP-1RA-Supported Specialist Weight Management Program in Adults Living With Obesity: Retrospective Service Evaluation. JMIR Formative Research.
- Mann, T., Tomiyama, A. J., Westling, E., Lew, A. M., Samuels, B., & Chatman, J. (2007). Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. American Psychologist, 62(3), 220–233.
