GLP-1 receptor agonists and the emergence of treatment-related stigma: a call for conceptual clarity.

Abstract

Although GLP-1 medications have transformed obesity treatment, their rapid expansion has occurred alongside moral narratives emphasizing discipline, willpower, and personal responsibility in weight management. These narratives often portray GLP-1-assisted weight loss as a "shortcut" or as "taking the easy way out" compared to lifestyle-based approaches such as diet and exercise. Such perceptions reflect broader weight stigmatizing attitudes; however, GLP-1-related stigma represents an emerging and distinct form of weight stigma in which judgments extend beyond body size to include the perceived legitimacy and moral worthiness of pharmacologic weight management. This compounded form of stigma may exacerbate negative physical and mental health impacts and GLP-1 treatment engagement beyond those associated with weight stigma alone, potentially creating new barriers to effective obesity care. Researchers across obesity, behavioral medicine, and psychosocial health are uniquely positioned to investigate the conceptual and psychometric similarities and differences between weight-based and GLP-1-related stigma. Such efforts will advance the understanding of this emerging phenomenon and improve the health and well-being of individuals with obesity using or considering GLP-1 therapies.