Proportion of Britons who have taken or know someone who is using weight loss injections doubles in the past year

A new Ipsos poll explores public attitudes towards weight loss injections. The survey, conducted online among 2,161 British adults aged 18-75 from the 5th-10th December 2025, reveals that the proportion of people who have taken or know someone who has used weight loss injections has doubled over the past year. 

Key findings: 

• Perception of weight: Over half (54%) of Britons believe they are overweight or obese, with 25% considering themselves slightly overweight and 29% identifying as either overweight or obese.
• Weight loss injection usage: The proportion of Britons who have taken or know someone who has used weight loss injections has more than doubled from 13% in 2024 to 28% in 2025. Notably, 22% of those identifying as obese and 15% of those identifying as overweight have personally used these injections.
• NHS provision of weight loss injections: There is growing support for the NHS providing weight loss injections to people who are obese, increasing from 34% in 2024 to 46% in 2025.
• Likelihood of using weight loss injections:
  • Three in ten (30%) Britons say that they would consider using weight loss injections if provided by the NHS, an increase from 22% in 2024. However, this increases to seven in ten (70%) of those who identify as obese.
  • In contrast, only 11% of the total population would use them if they had to purchase them privately (up slightly from 8% in 2024), raising just 1ppt to 12% of those who identify as obese.
• Preference for obtaining injections: 26% say they would only use weight loss jabs if obtained using doctor’s prescription, and a further 16% would opt for community pharmacies. The same proportion (16%) would consider using a specialist registered online pharmacy that only prescribes weight loss jabs. While there is a preference for professional guidance, 5% say they would consider obtaining jabs through a social media platform (e.g., Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp).
• Openness of using injections: Around half (51%) say they would be likely to tell other people if they were to use weight loss injections, among those who say they’re likely to use them in the future (51% in 2025 vs 53% in 2024).

Anna Quigley, Research Director at Ipsos Public Affairs, said:

The doubling in those who say they are using or know someone who is using weight loss injections over the past year highlights the increasing societal acceptance of such measures. However, the proportion saying they would tell other people they were using them hasn’t changed, suggesting there may still be concerns about the stigma attached to them.  It's noteworthy that there is a strong preference for NHS-provided options, including among those who identify as obese. This clearly speaks to the importance of accessible healthcare solutions in tackling obesity.

Technical note: 

• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,161 Online British adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain between the 5th-10th December 2025.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.