People who use Ozempic for weight loss are surprisingly more likely to be suspicious of vaccines.
March 23, 2026
Original Paper
Intersecting Health Behaviors in a Collegiate Population: GLP-1 RA Injection Use and Uptake of Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccines
SSRN · 6430421
The Takeaway
It is commonly assumed that vaccine hesitancy is driven by a fear of needles or medical interventions. This study shows a bizarre divergence where people comfortable with weekly self-injections for cosmetic weight loss are the most likely to reject life-saving medical vaccines, suggesting health behaviors are driven by social media influence rather than medical logic.
From the abstract
PurposeThis study examined the relationship between GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use and vaccination behaviors among college students.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted at a large public university in the southern United States, with 1,245 undergraduate students participating (response rate: 22.3%).MeasuresThe survey assessed GLP-1 RA medication use, motivations for use, influenza and COVID-19 vaccination behaviors, vaccine hesitancy, and sources of health information.AnalysisDes