Women and those from middle-income backgrounds are predominantly taking up weight loss injections, new research indicates.
An analysis of private prescriptions for drugs such as Mounjaro reveals almost 80 per cent of users are women.
Uptake is highest among men and women aged 30 to 49, falling sharply after 60.
The medications, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), help individuals feel fuller by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating.
The Health Foundation, working with online weight management provider Voy, conducted the analysis.
They examined 113,630 patient prescriptions between November 2024 and October 2025, also considering residential location as a measure of deprivation.
The research showed that people in the most deprived regions were around a third less likely to be getting the jabs than those in the least deprived.
This is despite deprived regions having far higher obesity levels and having the greater potential to benefit from the drugs, according to the Health Foundation.
The study also found that people in more deprived areas tend to start treatment when they are heavier, suggesting further inequalities in access to the drugs.
Among 30 to 49-year-olds in the most deprived areas, around 45 per cent began treatment with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or above, compared with around 30 per cent in the least deprived areas.
The Health Foundation said this suggests that people are getting the drugs later, putting their health at risk in the meantime.
NHS England has put in place a phased rollout of Mounjaro over a period of up to 12 years, but current data suggests even patients who are eligible now cannot get the drug.
On the NHS, some 220,000 patients have been prioritised in the the first three years of a 12-year rollout.
This means the vast majority of patients on Mounjaro pay for it privately.
Eligible patients in the first year have included those with a body mass index over 40 and other complicating illnesses such as high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
NHS England previously said if all eligible patients (thought to be over three million) turned up for the drug in the first year, and 70 per cent of those were started on treatment, the impact on primary care and general practice would be profound and take up 18 per cent of GP appointments.
The GLP-1 drug semaglutide (Wegovy) can be accessed on the NHS for people with health problems caused by their weight and a high BMI.
Samantha Field, senior fellow in prevention at the Health Foundation and co-author of the new research, said: “With an estimated 2.4 million people in the UK already prescribed weight loss medications, our findings reveal a stark divide.
“The groups bearing the greatest burden of obesity are seeking GLP-1 treatments less frequently, and often at higher BMIs.
“The NHS should be taking these findings into account as the rollout of these medications progresses, to ensure they are reaching the people who are most in need of them.
“Ensuring fair public provision is essential, but these medications address a problem that is preventable.
“It’s more important than ever that government retains focus on making the changes to our food environment that will prevent obesity occurring in the first place.”
Dr David Huang, director of clinical innovation at Voy said: “We’re pleased to have collaborated with the Health Foundation on this analysis to help improve transparency of health inequality in the UK.
“By providing real-world patient insights we can bring greater visibility and awareness to the barriers within the UK’s health system, and ultimately inform measurable steps to address the obesity crisis.
‘Weight loss medication can have a life changing impact for eligible patients.
“Private providers like Voy play a crucial role in delivering clinically-led and safe treatment to those looking for immediate care and as NHS rollout evolves, we’re aware of our responsibility to enhance access to this type of care and this extends beyond our private offering too.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS is rightly prioritising the rollout of weight-loss drugs for those in the greatest clinical need and is exploring ways to accelerate the offering so that eligible people can benefit from safe and effective treatment wherever they live in England.
“The NHS also offers a wide range of other support for people to lose weight, which has helped tens of thousands of people achieve a healthier weight and wider lifestyle benefits.”
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