| • Around 6% of Americans (15.6 million) currently take a GLP-1 such as Ozempic; 1 in 8 have done so in the past. |
| • 40% of GLP–1 users do so to try and lose weight, but there’s growing concern about side effects. |
| • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated Ozempic’s label to caution users against the risk of intestinal blockages. |
GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are now a way of life for significant numbers of people in the United States. Around 6% of Americans (15.6 million) currently take a GLP-1, 40% of whom do so to lose weight, while 1 in 8 (12.5%) have at some point taken a GLP-1 medication for weight loss or to help manage diabetes.
That means big business: in 2024, the combined revenue for Ozempic and Wegovy was approximately $26 billion; in the first half of 2025, Ozempic alone generated $9.36 billion in sales.
Yet the users of the most popular GLP-1 drug, Ozempic – which we’ll focus on during this study – have suffered numerous side effects while consuming the drug. We’ll look at the kinds of side effects users have experienced, which states are most worried about Ozempic side effects, and, firstly, we’ll consider which states are most interested in the drug.
Ozempic: Which States Are Most Interested?
During our research into Ozempic interest, we’ve relied on Google Search Volume data regarding searches for the drug. Here are the ten states most interested in GLP-1 drug Ozempic over the past 12 months, with California leading the way.
States Most Interested in Ozempic
According to the latest Google Search Volume data, California leads the nation in Ozempic interest, averaging more than 149,000 monthly searches, nearly 40% higher than Texas, which ranks second with 107,000 searches. Together, these two states account for a massive share of the country’s total search traffic for the popular weight-loss and diabetes drug.
The pattern reflects not only population size but also cultural and lifestyle influences. Florida (3rd) and New York (4th) also rank near the top, underscoring the growing curiosity about Ozempic in major urban and coastal regions. Illinois, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina round out the midsection of the top ten, showing that the drug’s popularity extends well beyond the coasts.
Interestingly, New Jersey and Virginia also make the list, two states known for their proximity to major metropolitan centers and affluent suburban populations, where wellness trends tend to spread quickly. Meanwhile, Ohio’s inclusion at number eight highlights that Ozempic interest isn’t confined to trend-driven or coastal markets; it’s now solidly part of the mainstream health conversation nationwide.
Overall, this search data reveals a powerful national fascination with Ozempic that transcends geography and demography, from the West Coast to the Mid-Atlantic and across America’s heartland.
While larger states dominate total search numbers, the breadth of engagement points to widespread awareness of weight-loss medications as a new cultural touchpoint in the U.S.
The latest Google search data highlights that Ozempic has become a nationwide phenomenon, with curiosity and demand cutting across state lines, demographics, and regions.
Nevada leads the nation by a wide margin, averaging more than 408 searches per 100,000 residents, a remarkable figure given its smaller population base. This suggests an intense level of public fascination in a state known for its image-conscious culture and hospitality industry, where appearance and wellness trends often take center stage.
The West Coast follows closely behind, with California, Washington, and Oregon all ranking among the top six. These states have long been associated with strong health and lifestyle industries, and their high per-capita search rates underscore how the conversation around Ozempic has extended beyond medical management of diabetes into the broader realm of cosmetic wellness and weight loss.
The inclusion of large, diverse states like New York, Texas, and Florida reflects the drug’s widespread reach across different cultural and economic landscapes. In these states, significant urban populations, active media coverage, and strong social media influence have amplified public awareness and discussion around Ozempic and similar GLP-1 medications.
Meanwhile, Virginia, New Jersey, and Illinois round out the top ten, suggesting that interest extends beyond coastal and high-profile states into the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, regions where traditional health and wellness trends are now converging with modern, pharmaceutical-based approaches to weight management.
Taken together, these findings illustrate a clear national pattern: Ozempic is not just a health topic but a cultural one. Its reach spans Hollywood to healthcare, urban centers to rural communities, and lifestyle-conscious consumers to individuals managing chronic conditions.
Whether driven by celebrity influence, medical necessity, or simple curiosity, America’s fixation with Ozempic shows no signs of slowing down, and this latest data confirms that it’s as much a national talking point as it is a medical breakthrough.
Ozempic: Serious Side Effects
Ozempic has already been subject to well-publicized gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and constipation. But many other, lesser-known side effects have been reported.
Clinical records note that Ozempic can also (albeit infrequently) cause fatigue, dizziness, altered taste, and even hair loss. Even more rarely, serious complications resulting from Ozempic use have been documented: pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury linked to dehydration, and deteriorating diabetic retinopathy in patients with existing eye conditions.
Additionally, in 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated Ozempic’s label to caution users against the risk of intestinal blockages, reflecting growing concern about how the drug slows digestion and impacts gut motility.
While such side effects are extremely rare, their occasional occurrence underscores the need for continual monitoring and confirms Ozempic’s potential to cause significant harm to its users.
Let’s take a closer look at the most prevalent GLP-1 drug side effects and the percentage of users who suffer adverse results regarding each example. Nausea is clearly the most frequently reported side effect, with 1 in 5 GLP-1 users suffering.
Common GLP-1 Side Effects
States Concerned About Ozempic Side Effects
We’ve already considered which states are most interested in Ozempic; here are the ten states most worried about the drug’s side effects.
The data reveals a clear pattern of nationwide curiosity—and growing concern, about Ozempic’s side effects, led overwhelmingly by states along the West Coast and major urban hubs.
Washington ranks first in the country, averaging more than 121 searches per 100,000 residents, indicating a high level of awareness and digital engagement around the risks associated with the drug. Close behind are California and Nevada, both of which have been consistent leaders in overall Ozempic search activity.
Their elevated side-effect search rates suggest that public curiosity in these regions extends beyond initial interest in the medication’s benefits, reflecting a more critical and informed approach as awareness of Ozempic’s potential complications grows.
Oregon also places in the top five, contributing to a strong concentration of interest along the Pacific Coast, an area known for health-conscious lifestyles, early adoption of wellness trends, and high social media engagement with topics like weight loss and medical aesthetics.
The inclusion of Georgia and New York further highlights how this concern is not limited to any one demographic or region. In the South, Georgia’s high search rate may reflect widespread use of Ozempic for both medical and cosmetic purposes, while New York’s ranking aligns with its reputation as a hub for trend-driven health awareness and fast-moving media cycles.
Meanwhile, Hawaii’s presence in the top ten is particularly notable given its relatively small population, signaling that even remote and demographically distinct states are part of the broader national conversation around Ozempic’s risks and side effects. Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maine round out the list, showing that interest in the drug’s safety profile extends into both coastal and inland regions.
This geographic variety paints a picture of a truly nationwide awareness, one driven by both personal health considerations and intense media attention.
Overall, the data underscores how Americans’ relationship with Ozempic has evolved, from fascination and excitement about its weight-loss benefits to a more cautious curiosity about its safety and long-term implications.
The high per-capita search rates across diverse states suggest that as Ozempic continues to dominate headlines and social feeds, public interest is shifting toward understanding not just what the drug can do, but what potential risks come with it. This duality, between desire and doubt, defines the current stage of America’s complex relationship with the drug.
Methodology
To identify which U.S. states are most actively searching for Ozempic and its side effects, we analyzed keyword search volume data using Google Keyword Planner.
The dataset included average monthly search volumes for the terms “Ozempic” and “Ozempic side effects”, collected from October 2024 to September 2025, to capture the most recent full month of available data.
Each state’s total search volume was matched with its 2024 estimated population (based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s population) to calculate a standardized rate of searches per 100,000 residents.
This per-capita metric allows for meaningful comparisons between states of different sizes, revealing where public curiosity and concern about Ozempic are most concentrated.
The “Ozempic” ranking highlights where general interest in the drug is highest, while the “Ozempic side effects” ranking pinpoints states with the strongest awareness and search activity related to its potential risks.
Together, these rankings illustrate how awareness of and engagement with Ozempic has spread nationwide, spanning both enthusiasm for its benefits and caution about its side effects.
Ozempic: A Regional U.S. Comparison
The latest Google Search Volume data reveals that interest in Ozempic is not confined to any one region or demographic; it’s a nationwide phenomenon shaped by culture, curiosity, and healthcare needs.
When we compare the states leading in searches for obesity and diabetes with those showing the highest interest in Ozempic, a striking contrast emerges between areas driven by medical necessity and those influenced by media attention and lifestyle trends.
In the Deep South and Appalachian regions, states such as Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, and Arkansas continue to lead searches for obesity- and diabetes-related topics.
These patterns reflect ongoing public health challenges tied to high chronic illness rates, economic hardship, and limited access to preventive care. In these regions, online searches point to genuine health concerns rather than curiosity, underscoring the intersection between digital behavior and public health realities.
By contrast, the top Ozempic search rankings paint a more complex picture. According to the latest data, California leads the nation with nearly 150,000 monthly searches, followed by Texas, Florida, and New York.
These populous and culturally influential states drive much of the national conversation, but smaller states like Nevada, Oregon, and Washington show the highest per-capita search rates, revealing a deeper intensity of interest relative to population size.
This suggests that in these regions, Ozempic’s popularity extends beyond managing diabetes—it reflects growing cultural normalization of prescription weight-loss medications, fueled by influencer marketing, celebrity endorsements, and extensive media coverage.
The diversity of high–ranking states underscores how Ozempic’s influence cuts across socioeconomic and geographic boundaries. While Southern states like Georgia and North Carolina still rank highly, reflecting their dual relationship with chronic disease and wellness aspirations, states like Hawaii and Maine also make the top ten per capita, showing that even small and remote populations are deeply engaged in the conversation around Ozempic and GLP-1 drugs.
In just a year, Ozempic has evolved from a niche diabetes treatment into one of the most talked–about drugs in America
The Future of Ozempic: Growth and Growing Caution
In just over a year, Ozempic has transformed from a niche diabetes treatment into a cultural and medical phenomenon. National estimates indicate that one in eight U.S. adults has tried Ozempic or a related GLP-1 medication, and nearly 40% of those users report taking it primarily for weight loss rather than diabetes management.
This growing adoption is mirrored in the data: every month, hundreds of thousands of Americans search for Ozempic-related terms, spanning usage, access, and increasingly, side effects.
The surge in Ozempic side effect searches reveals an evolving narrative, one shifting from excitement to caution. States like Washington, California, and Nevada lead the nation in per-capita searches about side effects, suggesting that regions most engaged in Ozempic adoption are also the most alert to its potential risks.
These queries often focus on common side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, but growing public awareness is also extending to more serious complications reported in medical literature, such as gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, and intestinal obstruction.
While online interest remains strong, the growing number of searches about Ozempic side effects reveals a more complex, cautionary narrative.
Beyond well-known issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, clinical reports and FDA updates identify a range of less common but more serious complications. These include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, intestinal blockages, acute kidney injury linked to dehydration, and worsening diabetic retinopathy.
There are also reports of fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, and altered taste, symptoms that may not appear in early clinical trials but which have surfaced among real-world users.
In 2023, the FDA updated Ozempic’s label to warn against intestinal obstructions, emphasizing the drug’s effect on slowing digestion, a core feature of its appetite-suppressing power, but one that also carries inherent risks.
For some states, searches reflect medical need and high chronic disease burdens; for others, they represent cultural fascination and aesthetic aspiration.
And as side-effect searches rise alongside overall demand, it’s clear that America’s Ozempic story has evolved beyond a simple weight-loss trend; it’s become an ongoing dialogue about health, hope, and the potential risks of medicalized body transformation.
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