Ozempic and other weight loss drugs are coming to Thanksgiving dinner

For the first time in decades, good news about obesity is emerging in the United States. According to the latest Gallup National Health and Wellness Index, the obesity rate among U.S. adults decreased this year to 37%, compared to a high of 39.9% in 2022. That’s 7.6 million fewer obese adults.

This could mean a very different Thanksgiving holiday for many households, as the main reason given for the decline is the explosive popularity of GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic, Zepbound, Wegovy and Mounjaro. The Gallup survey found that more than 12% of adults reported using a GLP-1 drug in the second and third quarters of 2025, up from less than 6% in early 2024.

These medications work by suppressing hormones that transmit hunger signals to the brain and slowing the digestion of food, causing the user to eat less. Potentially much less. Overeating or eating too quickly can cause people taking a GLP-1 medication to feel nauseous and experience heartburn, severe indigestion, acid reflux, and cramps. Drugs also cause alcohol to be absorbed more quickly, leading to dehydration and intoxication.

This makes Thanksgiving, a largely food-centered holiday, difficult to manage for GLP-1 users, their hosts, and their dinner companions.

So what’s a Thanksgiving host to do? That browned turkey, gravy, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, pumpkin pie – these foods may be less appealing to some people taking GLP-1 medications. And if you’re the one taking a weight-loss drug, how can you refuse part of the bonus without seeming rude?

Obesity experts suggest several ways to get around these vacation minefields:

• First, if you take a GLP-1 medication or know someone who takes it, try to be kind to yourself and others during the holidays. “I always remind people to be kind to themselves and avoid feeling the shame and guilt that comes with food,” says Dr. Mandeep Bajaj, medical director of Baylor Medicine’s Endocrinology and Diabetes Area.
• Turkey will likely remain in the spotlight this year, as it is the type of protein-rich food recommended for patients taking weight-loss medications. If you’re hosting, you can choose to serve a smaller bird or just breast meat. It can also help your wallet, as the USDA projects the wholesale price of a frozen turkey will be $1.32 per pound in November, up from 94 cents in 2024.
• Guests can also save money on wine and liquor. A Weight Watchers study found that 45 to 51 percent of people taking GLP-1 medications reduced the amount of alcohol they drank. But make sure you have plenty of water or unsweetened juice, as it’s important for everyone, including GLP-1 users, to stay hydrated.
• If you are taking a GLP-1 medication, do not skip the medication closer to Thanksgiving. Skipping a dose won’t lessen the effects of overeating, but it could increase side effects when you start again.
• People taking weight-loss medications may choose to prioritize green, leafy vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, green beans (without the fried onions or cream sauce), and salad dressing on the side. It’s not necessary to eliminate starchy foods like potatoes and corn from the table, but hosts may want to substitute olive oil for butter and use herbs and spices to add flavor instead of salt. “I encourage people to choose their favorite meal, but keep the portions small,” says Dulce Garcia, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator at Baylor College of Medicine.
• GLP-1 users may want to avoid foods such as macaroni and cheese, cookies, or other dishes loaded with sugar and starch. For some traditionalists, this constitutes sacrilege. In this case, just make sure that the unhealthy pieces don’t take up a lot of space on the plate. Hosts could offer fruit-based desserts in smaller portions as an option.
• “Encourage your family to rethink their traditions and create new ones,” says Dr. Chika Anekwe, clinical director of obesity medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “There are many ways to flavor foods without adding fat or salt. » She suggests replacing time at the table with games or other activities.
• Anekwe also recommends customers not take leftovers home. “There is no reason to extend the holiday meal to a week,” she said.

Then there’s that other source of tension at the Thanksgiving table: conversation. A gathering of family and friends can be a minefield any time of year for people struggling with weight, but a food-focused vacation adds to the pressure. If someone eats significantly less than everyone else, or if the host deviates from dishes they like, it can invite uncomfortable questions and judgment.

“Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma around weight-loss drugs and we need to address it,” says Baylor’s Dr. Bajaj. “It helps to remind people that you take these medications to be healthy and that you will get sick if you eat too much.”

But rest assured. Because millions of Americans now use GLP-1 medications, these medications are becoming more common each year. Guests may decide to completely ignore the eating habits of their tablemates and focus on something less controversial, like politics.