The wave is about to become a wave. At this time, there are numerous barriers for people considering treating their obesity with GLP-1 medications. Early on, there were manufacturing bottlenecks that resulted in a shortage of supplies from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound. There were problems with insurance coverage for these expensive treatments, particularly for seniors enrolled in Medicare, which was prohibited from covering weight-loss medications. Then the fear set in: Some people just don't like needles and wouldn't consider the weekly injection. As the year 2026 progresses, many of these obstacles are being torn down. Prices are falling, access to insurance is increasing, and oral medications are expected to hit the market. This means that the number of people taking GLP-1 drugs is about to increase. It is great news for public health. However, it will greatly change consumer habits, creating new opportunities for investors. New Users Nearly a quarter of U.S. households were using GLP-1 medications on a temporary or cyclical basis, according to market research published by Circana in November. The firm said most people take GLP-1 for six to 12 months, with only 48.2% maintaining treatment for a full year. Cost was the most cited reason for discontinuing use, the study found. However, since patients tend to gain weight when they stop taking the medications, it is possible that the duration of use will lengthen as costs fall and oral medications, which tend to be less expensive and easier to take, are introduced. “Based on our recent findings, … we predict that 35% of food and beverage units and 37% of non-food units will come from LPG-1 households by 2030, if current trends continue,” Circana said in its report. Courtney Breen, an analyst at Bernstein Biopharmaceuticals, expects market segments to emerge as more GLP-1 products come to market. Those segments will reflect the patient's circumstances and whether they are using an incretin drug for severe obesity, cosmetics or other conditions. “Today, GLP-1 receptor agonists have received approval for the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity (and some obesity-related conditions), but their journey is unlikely to end there,” Breen wrote in a Dec. 11 research note. “The GLP-1 receptor is widely expressed beyond the pancreas, with a notable presence in the lungs, heart, brain, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Given this biology and evidence to date, GLP-1 market leaders Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk (not covered) are investigating other potential indications for GLP-1 in multiple disease areas.” In a separate report, Breen said Lilly's oral GLP-1, or forglipron, could be a great option for people looking to reduce their treatment with injectable GLP-1 medications and hopes it will make chronic weight maintenance more convenient. Those comments followed the release of Lilly's clinical trial data in mid-December. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing data from Lilly's trial, and analysts expect the agency could approve the drug in March or April. Novo Nordisk's oral GLP-1 was already approved by the FDA in late December and is expected to hit the market in early January. Lilly stock ends 2025 with a nearly 40% gain and the mantle of the first trillion dollars in healthcare stocks. Novo Nordisk, which has reported disappointing financial results despite its leadership in this area, has lost almost 40%. New Habits GLP-1 medications lead to new habits. Oprah Winfrey, who started taking GLP-1 medications more than two and a half years ago, spoke about her experience in an interview with People, published Tuesday. The media mogul and former talk show host is promoting a new book on obesity that she co-wrote with Dr. Ania Jastreboff and outlined a new perspective and optimistic habits, including quitting alcohol, it was learned. Winfrey also described the absence of so-called food noise. Circana's findings support this. The market researcher described a shift in what was put in the shopping cart: less food and beverages, but more was spent on oral and personal care products. Additionally, GLP-1 users continue to dine out, according to the data, but prioritize protein-rich main dishes, portion control and fiber, their research found. “This creates opportunities for [restaurant] concepts that can flex menus toward healthier, higher-protein, smaller-portion offerings,” Goldman Sachs analyst Christine Cho wrote in her 2026 outlook for restaurant stocks. She cited Cheesecake Factory's launch of bowls and bites, Darden Restaurant's smaller-portion menu tests, and protein-packed coffees from Dutch Bros and Starbucks as examples of how companies may react. According to Cho, the typical GLP-1 user shifts more of their spending to casual dining chains where she perceives there is Bonnie Herzog, a consumer staples analyst at Goldman, sees a parallel trend for packaged food and beverage companies that will put companies without healthier options at risk. In a note to clients with her outlook for 2026, Herzog cited NielsenIQ data that showed sales are growing faster for items around the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish are placed. “GLP-1 could further widen the gap as consumers shift from packaged foods to fresh/refrigerated food options,” Herzog wrote. He also noted that alcohol consumption should also decrease. He said the trend favors Albertsons, Kroger and Sprouts Farmers Market and protein companies Hormel Foods, Smithfield Foods and Tyson Foods. Consumer staples companies are responding, and time will tell if they are able to hit the mark. Herzog highlighted PepsiCo's plans to innovate in the functional beverage space like Muscle Milk without added artificial sweeteners or colors, shares of Starbucks Coffee & Protein and Propel Protein Water are ending 2025 down more than 5%, and Herzog said the bearish trend in the stock is “overblown.” Selected stocks to stand out from the rest. Cho sees new GLP-1 drug habits as an “emerging” theme for restaurants, with a bigger impact on stock performance coming from larger issues such as affordability and a company's ability to increase the number of restaurant locations to drive sales growth. [to] putting new money to work in stocks with exposure to categories with attractive, profitable growth that should outperform broader commodities such as; energy drinks, nicotine, candy and beauty,” Herzog said.
