People who lose weight using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy may be judged more negatively than those who lose weight through diet and exercise — and even more negatively than people who do not lose weight at all — according to a new study led by Rice University psychologist Erin Standen.
A new study in the International Journal of Obesity reports that people who lose weight using GLP-1 medications — including widely known drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy — can face stronger social judgment than people who lose weight through diet and exercise, or even those who remain at a higher weight.
The research was led by Erin C. Standen, an assistant professor of psychological sciences at Rice University, with co-authors Sean M. Phelan of the Mayo Clinic and A. Janet Tomiyama of the University of California, Los Angeles. In a Rice University release distributed by ScienceDaily, Standen said the team anticipated some stigma but was surprised by its magnitude.
How the experiment worked
In the study, participants evaluated a fictional person described through different weight-history scenarios: one in which the person lost weight using a GLP-1 medication, one in which the person lost weight via diet and exercise, and one in which the person did not lose weight.
Across scenarios, participants rated the GLP-1 user more negatively than the person who lost weight through diet and exercise. The GLP-1 user was also rated more negatively than the person who did not lose weight — a finding Standen described as a “social penalty” for the weight-loss method.
Regaining weight drew additional criticism
The study also examined what happens when weight is regained after treatment stops — a situation the researchers noted can occur when people discontinue GLP-1 drugs because of cost, insurance limits, or side effects.
Participants judged weight regain more negatively than weight loss that was maintained, and this penalty appeared regardless of whether the initial weight loss came from medication or lifestyle changes.
Why it matters
Standen and her co-authors pointed to broader evidence that weight stigma is associated with harmful outcomes, including stress, avoidance of medical care, and unhealthy coping strategies. Standen said feeling judged for health-related choices can shape whether people seek care and how openly they discuss weight and treatment with clinicians.
With GLP-1 drugs becoming more widely discussed and used, the researchers said the findings highlight a need to reconsider cultural narratives that frame medication-assisted weight loss as “taking the easy way out,” and to reduce judgment around both body size and the paths people take to manage weight.
