People Start Choosing Healthier Foods After GLP-1 Treatment
29 Jan 2026
The Danish study looked at 1177 participants’ shopping receipts, including 293 people who started GLP-1 RAs during the research. Researchers examined more than 80,000 receipts before treatment and over 1.1 million after.
The results showed that after starting GLP-1 RAs, patients bought foods that were lower in calories, sugar, saturated fat and carbohydrates, while increasing protein. There was also a move away from ultra-processed foods towards more unprocessed options.
The study authors said these changes are small for each person, but could add up across the population, especially as GLP-1 RA use increases.
Dr Terri-Lynne South, GP, dietitian and Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Obesity Management, said the findings are encouraging but it’s not clear what exactly caused the change.
“Is it the medicine itself, or the support and advice people get at the same time? It could be both,” she told newsGP.
Currently, more than 400,000 Australians use GLP-1 RAs, often paying up to $5000 a year. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has said this will change for some patients.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended that semaglutide (Wegovy) be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for people with obesity who have already had a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular problems. Minister Butler is working with the manufacturer to make this happen.
The GLP-1 RAs currently available in Australia are:
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Ozempic (semaglutide)
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Wegovy (semaglutide)
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Saxenda (liraglutide)
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Trulicity (dulaglutide)
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Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
Source: newsGP, RACGP, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
