As 2024 draws to a close, the new year ushers in the opportunity to set new goals for the year ahead. While weight-loss and fitness are staples of New Year resolutions they are commonly known to be the unsustainable resolutions that don’t continue past January.

2024 saw a rapid adoption and acceptance of GLP-1s medications as an effective and trusted method of weight loss, with recent research from digital weight loss platform Juniper, revealing that almost three quarters (72%) of women are now considering turning to GLP-1 medications to help them in their weight loss journey next year.

Surveying over 1,000 UK women, the research found that 86% of respondents have tried multiple diet and weight loss programmes to lose weight with over half (55%) having previously committed to one or two different methods and a fifth (22%) admitting to trialling three to five different weight-loss methods. However, despite ambitions, many face barriers to their weight loss journeys. Difficulty maintaining a consistent diet (30%) was noted as the top hurdle, followed by a lack of time for regular exercise (16%) and mental health or motivational challenges (15%).

With many using the New Year to commit to new goals, a quarter (24%) of women noted that they have set a New Year’s resolution related to weight loss or fitness over five times and a third (33%) one to two times. While a common resolution, with so many diets and fitness regimes available it’s not always easy for individuals to choose the most effective method for their goals.

While interested in trying GLP-1 medications, women have experienced blockers when trying to attain access to these medications including:

• The cost of the medication: 42%
• Doubts on whether it will work for them and their weight loss: 37% 
• Worried about the side effects: 36%
• Worried about weight gain once the medication ends: 33%
• Worried about the stigma of using medication for weight loss: 31%
• The difficulty of getting a GP appointment to discuss options: 25% 

While access and stigma continue to be issues, these worries also highlight the importance of wrap-around care with GLP-1 medications. Better access and availability to speak with weight specialists who can provide information about GLP-1s and their impact alongside medical support and coaching programmes focused on lifestyle and behaviour changes is crucial.

It’s no wonder that word is spreading about GLP-1s with the medicines having demonstrated remarkable efficacy in treating obesity with patients already seeing incredible results. This New Year I would expect that we will start to see people considering very different approaches to their weight loss and fitness goals than they have taken in the past.

GLP-1s are giving individuals new leases of life, however, it’s vital that to ensure they continue to do so, we improve access to the medication and tackle the blockers many are facing in accessing them. Increased use on the NHS needs to go hand in hand with more education and wrap-around care to ensure that those in need of GLP-1s feel informed and supported through their journey.”

Kevin Joshua, Clinical Lead, Juniper