People using weight-loss injections were more likely to say they felt more confident at work over the past year, according to new polling that linked the medication to improved self-esteem and mental wellbeing.
The findings suggested a widening gap between people using weight-loss medication and those who are not, with users reporting confidence gains both in the workplace and in social situations.
The data was published by myBMI, a private weight-loss clinic, which surveyed 5,000 UK adults and said the results pointed to how physical health and psychological factors could shape day-to-day work experiences.
Confidence gains reported among injection users
In the survey of 5,000 UK adults, myBMI said 61% of the 1.5 million people it estimated were currently taking weight-loss injections reported improved confidence at work over the last 12 months. It compared this with 30% of the general population and 19% of non-users.
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The clinic said millennials reported the largest confidence boost, with more than 70% of those using injections saying their workplace confidence had improved, followed by Generation Z at 60%.
The firm said the confidence effect varied by location, with Bristol recording the highest share of users reporting improved workplace confidence at 81%, followed by Belfast at 73% and London and Plymouth both at 68%. The lowest figure in the city breakdown was Sheffield at 36%.
Mental wellbeing and self-esteem ‘also improved’
The findings were published in myBMI’s More than Scales: the impact of obesity report, which also reported improvements in mental health and self-esteem among people using weight-loss injections.
A total of 65% of users said their mental health had improved over the last 12 months and 64% reported improved self-esteem. The report also suggested confidence gains extended beyond work, with 63% of users saying they felt more confident at social events and family gatherings, compared with 30% of the wider public.
Ayesha Bashir, a prescribing pharmacist and weight-loss expert at myBMI, said confidence at work could be a meaningful benefit for people who were eligible for medication. She said weight-loss injections could support both physical and psychological wellbeing over time. “For those using medication as part of their weight-loss journey, increased confidence in the workplace is a major benefit for those that are eligible.”
She said weight-loss injections were a tool for treating obesity, but argued the research also pointed to mental health benefits. “Weight-loss injections are a proven powerful tool to treat obesity. However, our research also highlights the benefits to mental health that weight-loss injections can have.”
What it could mean for employers
The report linked its findings to wider labour market pressures, citing official unemployment data and claims about the relationship between obesity and economic inactivity.
It also suggested employers could see knock-on effects from changes in employee health, confidence and wellbeing, particularly in workplaces where stigma, stress and poor mental health remained barriers to performance and progression.
Bashir said the mental health benefits reported by injection users could have multiple causes, including physical changes and improved self-perception. “These benefits come from both improvements in physical health such as a better hormone balance and reduced inflammation but importantly, psychological ones too such as greater confidence and less stress.”
She added that confidence improvements were not immediate and should not be treated as guaranteed outcomes. “While (weight-loss injections) are not a quick fix in terms of improved confidence in the workplace or in social situations, the improvements that weight-loss injection users experience are gradual but meaningful.”
