Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a chronic, progressive disease increasingly managed with pharmacologic therapies beyond lifestyle modification. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have demonstrated substantial weight-loss efficacy and their rapid uptake has contributed to extensive social media discourse. This research aims to characterize real-world conversations around GLP-1 therapies for obesity, focusing on treatment experiences, access, expectations, and key drivers of patient sentiment.
METHODS: A retrospective social media listening analysis was conducted using Talkwalker across publicly available platforms from January 2025 to January 2026. A structured topic framework (“GLP-1 Therapies for Obesity”) comprising 15 predefined sub-themes (e.g., awareness, treatment decision-making, access, tolerability, daily life impact, mental health, and long-term management) was developed and custom Boolean search were applied. Quantitative analyses assessed conversation volume trends, demographic and sentiment distribution, while qualitative analyses identified dominant narratives and sentiment drivers.
RESULTS: Most conversations were in English (96.5%), with the United States contributing the majority of posts (76.3%). Overall discussion volume increased by 20% versus the prior year, totalling ~1.3M posts with higher participation among males (340K) than females (240.3K). The sentiment shifted toward neutral tones (27404% increase), reflecting an increase in informational and experience-sharing discourse. Five high-salience themes emerged: (1) treatment experience and perceived effects, including reports of substantial weight loss (often >60 lbs) and reduced food noise; (2) access and affordability, driven by insurance denials and out-of-pocket costs; (3) tolerability and side effects, most commonly gastrointestinal symptoms, muscle loss, and hair shedding; (4) treatment decision-making, featuring comparisons of semaglutide- and tirzepatide-based therapies; and (5) emotional and mental health impact.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, social media revealed valuable real-world patient experiences with GLP-1 therapies, highlighting a gap between clinical efficacy and real-world accessibility, tolerability, and sustainability. These findings underscore the need for patient-centered communication, supportive care strategies, and policy interventions to address access barriers and optimize long-term outcomes.