Louisiana women more likely to be prescribed GLP-1 drugs
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Louisiana women are more likely to be prescribed GLP-1 weight-loss drugs than the state's men, new data shows.
Why it matters: This is another cultural moment when women, especially those approaching menopause, are paying more for their well-being.
By the numbers: In Louisiana, 6.8% of female patients are prescribed GLP-1 drugs, compared to 5% of male patients, according to 2024 data from FAIR Health.
- Nationally, 18.6% of women prescribed GLP-1 drugs received them for weight loss (and not diabetes) — double the rate of men, at 9.3%, according to FAIR Health.
- Women between 40 and 64 have been the top recipients of GLP-1 prescriptions since 2019. For men, the top users in most years have been seniors.
The fine print: The data reflects insured adults who received medical care nationally, but doesn't include people buying non-FDA-approved versions of the drugs from compounding pharmacies.
Between the lines: GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are usually covered by insurance when used to treat Type 2 diabetes — but many doctors also prescribe them off-label for weight loss and obesity, which often isn't covered.
What we're hearing: "In my experience, thus far, it's been entirely women" — many of them approaching menopause — who ask to be on GLP-1 drugs to lose weight, says family physician Beth Oller, who practices in rural Kansas.
- At a certain age, "the things you used to do for weight loss aren't cutting it anymore," Oller says.
- Meanwhile, "men tend to lose more weight than women through lifestyle interventions alone," says Jamil Alkhaddo, medical director of WeightWatchers.
What we're watching: The drugs have also been found to lower the risk of Alzheimer's, addiction, sleep apnea, seizures and bacterial infections, and more potential uses keep surfacing, write Axios' Adriel Bettelheim and Maya Goldman.
- But it's not clear whether those uses are tied to the overall health impacts of weight loss or the drugs themselves, and prescriptions for off-label uses like these can affect whether insurers pay for them.