The UK regions where the most weight loss drugs are prescribed

Drugs that can help people manage their weight have been a hit this year, with trends like ‘Ricezempic’ and ‘Oatzempic’ spreading like wildfire across the internet as people hope to replicate the effects of some of the most popular drugs. In this article, we will go over how these drugs work, as well as using official statistical data to reveal which NHS ICBs prescribe them in the highest numbers.

In the last decade, more and more drugs that can help people lose weight have become available. Perhaps the most famous of these is Ozempic which was approved in 2017. Something that’s important to bear in mind about this drug is that it’s not actually prescribed or intended for weight loss - it’s a type 2 diabetes treatment. But its active ingredient, semaglutide, is also prescribed for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy. Semaglutide has recently been in the news as scientists have now discovered that it may have the ability to slow down the ageing process, helping people stay in better cardiovascular health longer.

How drugs like Ozempic work

The majority of these drugs - which are typically prescribed for either diabetes, weight loss or both - are what are called GLP-1 agonists. They mimic the effects on the body of a hormone called GLP-1, which is released by the body after eating: slowing digestion, stimulating the release of insulin, and stopping the release of glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. These effects make GLP-1 agonists an ideal treatment for both type 2 diabetes and weight loss.

The difference between weight loss drugs and diabetes drugs

Many of these drugs share an active ingredient across their diabetes and weight loss versions, but the difference is often that the version approved for weight loss contains more of the active ingredient, and can be taken at a higher dose. For example, Ozempic is usually prescribed at a dose between 0.5mg and 1.0mg, while a standard dose of Wegovy is 2.4mg. Otherwise, the way the drug works is exactly the same.

The UK regions that prescribe the most of these drugs

We researched which NHS ICBs prescribed the highest number of a range of these drugs prescribed either for weight loss or diabetes in the month of June 2024. Here are the top ten NHS ICBs that prescribe the most semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepeptide - drugs that are available for weight loss as well as for diabetes.

Ozempic and Wegovy - two types of semaglutide

We have also split our research into semaglutide prescriptions into prescriptions that were logged specifically as Wegovy and prescriptions for Ozempic. Patients give themselves an injection once a week.

Ozempic is only prescribed for diabetes, while Wegovy is prescribed for weight management. As you can see, Ozempic is still much more widely prescribed than Wegovy, having been on the market for longer - Wegovy has only been available in the UK since 2023, and it was first approved in the US in 2021.

This year, a new form of semaglutide is on the market in the UK, Rybelsus - this is prescribed as a once-daily tablet. Currently, this is only available for treating diabetes.

Semaglutide is just one of the drugs that can be prescribed for either diabetes or weight loss.

There’s also liraglutide, which has been on the market as Victoza since 2010 for diabetes, or as Saxenda since 2014 for weight management. Saxenda has been available in the UK since 2020.

The chart below shows the top five regions that prescribe the most liraglutide. Unlike semaglutide, liraglutide is taken as an injection every day.

Since 2023, tirzepetide has been available in the UK as Mounjaro for Diabetes Type 2 and weight loss. Like semaglutide, tirzepepide is taken as an injection once a week.

Tirzepeptide is different to semaglutide and liraglutide in that rather than solely mimicking the hormone GLP-1, it also mimics another hormone, GIP. GIP encourages the body to release insulin, helping to lower blood sugar levels.

Here are the NHS ICBs that are prescribing the most tirzepeptide.

Who these drugs are prescribed to

Semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepeptide are prescribed to people who either live with Type 2 Diabetes, or who have a high BMI and are looking to lose weight. In combination with lifestyle changes, patients can lose up to 5% of their weight with Saxenda, 10% with Wegovy or 15% with Mounjaro.

Weight loss tablets

Orlistat

Orlistat is another weight management treatment that comes as a tablet. While it’s available in its generic form as Orlistat, this drug is also available under the brand names Alli and Xenical. The difference is that Alli contains a lower amount of the active ingredient, compared to Xenical which gives patients a higher dose. This is why Alli is available over the counter and doesn’t require a prescription.

The data below shows the NHS ICBs that prescribe the most of these tablets, based on the number of prescriptions made in the month of June this year. Some of the regions that we saw earlier listed among those that prescribe the most weight loss injections appear here again, in this list.

Naltrexone/Bupropion

Another treatment for weight loss is the combination of naltrexone and bupropion, which is available under a variety of brand names including Mysimba or Contrave. It comes in tablet form. Both of the medications in this combined treatment act to reduce appetite. Bupropion is also used to help people stop smoking as it can reduce nicotine cravings. Data shows that out of Orlistat and Naltrexone/Bupropion, this option is less popular.

If you have a BMI over 30 - or your BMI is over 27 and you have a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol - any of the drugs mentioned in this research could be a suitable treatment for you. You can read about all of our weight management treatments.