How Social Media Ads for GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Shape Public Perception | Research

The takeaway

Social media ads for GLP-1 weight loss drugs use specific linguistic and persuasive strategies that may influence how the public perceives these medications.

12 months
of GLP-1 RA ads analyzed on Facebook and Instagram

What the researchers found

GLP-1 RA weight loss drug ads on social media employ specific discursive strategies that frame these medications in ways that shape public expectations and consumer decision-making.

Why it matters

Understanding how pharmaceutical advertising influences public perception is crucial as GLP-1 medications become mainstream, affecting patient expectations, medication adherence, and healthcare utilization.

The numbers in context

90 ads analyzed from Facebook/Instagram (Feb 2023-Feb 2024); 4 key themes identified; Fairclough CDA model applied.

How the study worked

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) of Facebook and Instagram advertisements for GLP-1 RA weight loss drugs collected via keyword searches from February 2023 to February 2024, with thematic analysis of recurring patterns.

Who was studied

N/A (analysis of advertisements)

What this study cannot tell us

Limited to Facebook and Instagram only; collection period may not capture evolving ad strategies; CDA is inherently interpretive; does not measure actual impact on consumer behavior.

How to read the evidence

Qualitative discourse analysis providing rich insights into advertising strategies; does not measure clinical or behavioral outcomes.

When this study was published

Published in 2025, analyzing ads from the peak period of GLP-1 weight loss drug popularity (2023-2024).

The bigger picture

The explosion of social media marketing for GLP-1 medications has created an unprecedented public health communication challenge, where commercial interests may not always align with evidence-based health messaging.

Questions still open

Do social media ads for GLP-1 drugs lead to inappropriate self-referrals or unrealistic weight loss expectations?
How should health regulators adapt oversight to address social media pharmaceutical advertising?

Common questions

How are GLP-1 weight loss drugs marketed on social media?

Ads on Facebook and Instagram use specific language, framing, and persuasive strategies to promote GLP-1 medications, often emphasizing transformation narratives and accessibility while potentially minimizing risks or complexity of treatment.

Why does GLP-1 drug advertising matter for public health?

Social media ads shape public expectations about weight loss medications, potentially influencing who seeks prescriptions, how they perceive treatment, and whether their expectations align with clinical reality.

Read the original research

Critical discourse analysis of social media advertisements for GLP-1 receptor agonist weight loss drugs: implications for public perceptions and health communication.

BMC public health, 25(1), 2996

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Rad, J; Melendez-Torres, G J. (2025). Critical discourse analysis of social media advertisements for GLP-1 receptor agonist weight loss drugs: implications for public perceptions and health communication.. BMC public health, 25(1), 2996. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24197-8