U.S. Obesity Rates Decline in 2023: A Promising Shift Amid Rising Weight Loss Drug Use For the first time in over a decade, U.S. obesity rates saw a slight decline in 2023, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Health Forum . This encouraging development comes amid the growing popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as the weight loss drug Wegovy. Study Insights The study, led by Ben Rader of Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from over 16.7 million American adults from 2013 to 2023. Researchers observed that the average Body Mass Index (BMI) steadily increased from 2013 through 2021, plateaued in 2022, and dropped slightly in 2023. The obesity prevalence rate declined from 44.11% in 2022 to 43.96% in 2023 — a modest but significant change. Rader described the decline as a “change in trend,” noting that even a small reduction could translate into meaningful health improvements for millions of Americans. The Role of Weight Loss Medicati...