Women account for 81% of GLP-1 users with men showing higher early weight loss, research shows

New research into GLP-1 data from thousands of patients across the UK has revealed how weight loss treatments such as Wegovy and Mounjaro are being used, with women making up just over four in five users and men experiencing higher early weight loss on average.

Conducted by UK online pharmacy Quick Meds, the research analysed anonymised data from patients who have used their service over the last three years.

The research found that women accounted for 81.1 per cent of GLP-1 users, compared with 18.9 per cent for men; a split which remained broadly consistent year on year.

Men typically begin treatment at higher body weights than women, at an average of 99.1 kgs (281.6 lbs) compared with 79.4 kgs (174.9 lbs) for women. Additionally, In the first four months of treatment, men lost an average of 16 lbs compared with 11.9 lbs for women, based on patients with at least two recorded orders within 120 days.

The average age of patients remained consistent across the dataset, with both men and women typically in their mid-40s. Male patients averaged 45.5 years, while female patients averaged 45.1. 

Among patients prescribed GLP-1 treatments, 76.3 per cent had used Mounjaro compared with 33.7 per cent who had used Wegovy. A further 10 per cent had used both medications at different points in their treatment.

Finally, the data showed a sharp decrease in average treatment time. Patients who began treatment in summer 2024 remained on GLP-1 medication for an average of 10 months, compared with 4.7 months among those who started in summer 2025.

Ahsan Bhatti, Superintendent Pharmacist at Quick Meds, said: “Men are losing weight more quickly due to their higher starting weight which leads to greater early absolute reductions, even where overall treatment response is broadly similar.

“Meanwhile, the shorter treatment duration likely reflects the rise in the cost of Mounjaro after September 2025, driving self-paying patients to limit long-term use or discontinue treatment after achieving the initial weight loss we typically see within the first four months.”

“This data provides real-world insight into GLP-1 usage in the UK, and tracking metrics like this over time enables the industry to understand how pricing, supply, prescribing practices and patient behaviour influences obesity treatment success, healthcare costs and demand for future NHS and private weight-management services.”