Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to GLP-1 medications as "fat shots" or "fat drugs." This terminology, used by Trump for months in anecdotes about a friend, has drawn criticism from medical professionals and patients who argue it stigmatizes a community already facing unfair treatment and flattens the diverse medical applications of these drugs.
GLP-1 medications, initially approved for Type 2 diabetes, are now widely used for obesity, sleep apnea, and reducing the risk of heart disease. According to a Gallup poll, 11% of American adults report currently taking these medications, a significant increase from just 3% in 2024. Many healthcare workers and patients describe these drugs as "miracle workers" due to their multifaceted health improvements.
Dr. Eric Burnett, an internal medicine doctor and health communicator, expressed concern not about Trump's phrasing, but about the government's inconsistent coverage of these medications through Medicaid. "I would rather Trump focus less on calling it the ‘fat shot’ and [instead put] more legislation forward between him and Congress to actually get Medicaid to cover these these life-saving medications," Burnett stated.
Kylie Pomaikaiokalani noted that framing GLP-1s as "fat shots" is not only "fatphobic" but also diminishes their importance. "To frame this class of drugs as ‘fat shots’ is not only fatphobic, but also flattens all of the benefits and uses of these medications, which I think in turn will make them seem more like vanity drugs instead of how they actually address real health conditions," Pomaikaiokalani said.
Dr. Elizabeth Kazarian, a family and obesity medicine physician, commented on Trump's use of stigmatizing language, drawing parallels to his past remarks about individuals with disabilities. While acknowledging Trump's efforts to lower GLP-1 prices, Kazarian stated, "The way that he’s expressing himself just propagates further stigma and shame towards a population that has only been treated that way before — with humiliation and shame."
Dr. Oni Blackstock, founder of Health Justice, a racial and health equity consulting company, argued that Trump's casual use of such terms normalizes societal marginalization and reinforces the idea that obesity is a moral failing. "This framing reinforces the idea of obesity as some sort of moral failing, not as the result of a confluence of societal and contextual factors," Blackstock explained. She highlighted how societal issues such as food deserts and inadequate infrastructure contribute to the obesity epidemic, and that stigmatizing nicknames for GLP-1s misrepresent this public health crisis.
Patients also shared their experiences, emphasizing the life-changing impact of the medications. Heather McClary Philpot, who has lost over 130 pounds in 22 months on a GLP-1, stated, "He can call them whatever he wants. It doesn’t change the fact that they have been nothing short of a miracle for me." Jennifer J. Beard added, "I wish more people knew this wasn’t the ‘easy’ way. It’s not. I had to change my eating habits entirely."
Krysta Berning Nunn described how a GLP-1 medication helped her manage insulin-resistant PCOS/PMOS and fatty liver disease, with an unexpected benefit of reduced inflammation for her endometriosis. Nunn expressed concern that "the ‘inflammatory’ remarks by Trump and the general public are creating an unnecessary culture of shame around a life-changing ‘anti-inflammatory’ medication."