Women make up almost 80% of weight loss jab prescriptions

Almost 80 per cent of private weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro are prescribed to women, according to analysis of 113,630 patients.

The analysis, covering private prescriptions issued between November 2024 and October 2025, found take-up was concentrated among women and middle-class patients.

Uptake was highest in those aged 30 to 49 and dropped sharply after 60.

The medicines are GLP-1 receptor agonists, drugs that mimic a hormone released after eating, helping people feel fuller.

Samantha Field, senior fellow in prevention at the Health Foundation and co-author of the research, said: “With an estimated 2.4m people in the UK already prescribed weight loss medications, our findings reveal a stark divide.

“The groups bearing the greatest burden of obesity are seeking GLP-1 treatments less frequently, and often at higher BMIs.

“The NHS should be taking these findings into account as the rollout of these medications progresses, to ensure they are reaching the people who are most in need of them.

“Ensuring fair public provision is essential, but these medications address a problem that is preventable.

“It’s more important than ever that government retains focus on making the changes to our food environment that will prevent obesity occurring in the first place.”

The research, carried out by the Health Foundation with online weight management provider Voy, found people in the most deprived areas were about a third less likely to receive the injections than those in the least deprived areas, despite higher obesity rates.

It also found patients in more deprived areas tended to start treatment at a higher body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight for height.

Among 30 to 49-year-olds in the most deprived areas, about 45 per cent began treatment with a BMI of 35 or above, compared with about 30 per cent in the least deprived areas.

The Health Foundation said this suggested people were accessing treatment later, risking poorer health in the meantime.

NHS England has set out a phased rollout of Mounjaro over up to 12 years, with about 220,000 patients prioritised in the first three years, meaning most people currently pay privately.

Eligible patients in the first year have included those with a BMI over 40 and other complicating conditions such as high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnoea (breathing repeatedly stopping and starting during sleep), cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

NHS England has previously said that if all eligible patients, thought to number more than 3m, sought the drug in the first year and 70 per cent were started on treatment, the impact on primary care would be profound, taking up 18 per cent of GP appointments.

The GLP-1 drug semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy, can be accessed on the NHS for people with health problems caused by their weight and a high BMI.

Dr David Huang, director of clinical innovation at Voy, said: “By providing real-world patient insights we can bring greater visibility and awareness to the barriers within the UK’s health system, and ultimately inform measurable steps to address the obesity crisis.

“Weight loss medication can have a life-changing impact for eligible patients.

“Private providers like Voy play a crucial role in delivering clinically-led and safe treatment to those looking for immediate care and as NHS rollout evolves, we’re aware of our responsibility to enhance access to this type of care and this extends beyond our private offering too.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS is rightly prioritising the rollout of weight-loss drugs for those in the greatest clinical need and is exploring ways to accelerate the offering so that eligible people can benefit from safe and effective treatment wherever they live in England.

“The NHS also offers a wide range of other support for people to lose weight, which has helped tens of thousands of people achieve a healthier weight and wider lifestyle benefits.”