Berenberg upgraded Eli Lilly to buy from hold today, pointing to GLP-1 demand that shows no sign of slowing. The call lands alongside new data showing U.S. obesity rates falling to 36.4 percent, restaurant owners at the Jersey Shore adjusting their menus, and a Baton Rouge specialist reminding patients that these drugs do not work for everyone. Together they sketch a market still expanding but growing more uneven in who benefits and how businesses respond.
Investors watching Eli Lilly today got a clear signal about where analysts expect the stock to go next. Berenberg raised its rating on the company, maker of Mounjaro, to buy from hold, and the firm's reasoning centered on one point: demand for GLP-1 drugs keeps climbing, not slowing down. That view suggests Wall Street still sees plenty of room for the GLP-1 market to expand, even after a stretch of strong growth for Lilly's stock. For shareholders and for anyone tracking the broader pharmaceutical sector, the upgrade is a vote of confidence that the appetite for these drugs has not peaked.
That growing appetite is visible in new population data as well. A recent poll found U.S. obesity rates have dropped to 36.4 percent as GLP-1 use has risen, with Americans' use of these injectables for weight loss nearly quadrupling since 2024. About 11 percent of adults now take a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, and the decline in obesity rates tracked across most age groups. One exception stood out: adults 65 and older reported less benefit from the drugs than younger groups did, a gap researchers have not fully explained.
That question of who benefits, and how visibly, played out in a very different setting this week when Selena Gomez arrived at the 2026 Emmys in a glittering gold gown. Her appearance drew immediate attention, and along with it, speculation that Ozempic explained her look. Gomez has not commented on the claims, and there is no confirmation that she uses a GLP-1 medication. The episode is a reminder that any visible weight change now invites this kind of speculation, fair or not, for public figures.
That same shift is reshaping decisions of a more practical kind for restaurant owners at the Jersey Shore. Chefs there say a growing number of diners are taking GLP-1 drugs, and the change is affecting their businesses both financially and strategically. Some are rethinking portion sizes and menu offerings to match diners' smaller appetites, while others describe the shift as personal, touching their own families as well as their customer base. The restaurant industry is one of the more direct, everyday indicators of how widespread GLP-1 use has become.
That widespread use, though, does not mean the drugs work the same way for everyone. A weight-loss specialist in Baton Rouge is cautioning patients that GLP-1 medications may not deliver results for every person trying to lose weight, even as a record number of Americans take them. The specialist's warning echoes the age-related gap seen in the national obesity data, suggesting that individual response varies more than the drugs' broad popularity might imply. For patients considering these medications, that variability is worth discussing directly with a doctor rather than assuming the drugs will work as advertised.
Taken together, today's developments point to a market that keeps growing even as its effects grow less even. If you are considering a GLP-1 medication, or already taking one, it may help to look past the headlines about stocks and celebrities and focus on two questions: how well is the drug working for someone your age and health profile, and what tradeoffs are you willing to accept if the results turn out to be modest. Those questions matter more than any single earnings call or red carpet appearance.
Key details
Berenberg upgraded Eli Lilly stock to buy from hold, citing continued GLP-1 demand growth.
U.S. obesity rates fell to 36.4% as GLP-1 use rose, but adults 65+ saw less benefit.
Selena Gomez faced Ozempic speculation after her glittering gold gown at the 2026 Emmys.
Jersey Shore chefs say GLP-1 use among diners is reshaping their business plans.
A Baton Rouge weight-loss specialist warns GLP-1 drugs do not work for everyone.
Originally published on GLP-1 Nation.
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