GLP-1, Dietary Guidance and the Next Phase of the Food Debate

Weight-loss medication has moved firmly into the mainstream. Oral GLP-1 products featured front and centre at this year’s Super Bowl reframing obesity treatment as accessible and lifestyle-adjacent. At the same time, US dietary guidance has upturned the traditional food pyramid.

Taken together, these shifts are potentially tectonic reshaping the public narrative. On one side sits a medical solution which, when used changes food choices.  On the other sits a change in emphasis on structural eating habits and food environments.

Why this matters for advertisers? In short: the obesity conversation looks to be shifting. Food marketing will be interpreted through a more complex lens - medical, behavioural as well as regulatory. Consumer demand is pivoting and demand for reduced portion sizes building.

We are also likely to see a change in creative tone. Less overt indulgence. More balance, moderation and everyday realism. Brands that can credibly demonstrate portfolio breadth such as smaller packs, lower-sugar variants, protein or satiety-led innovation, will likely lean into that. It’s going to be fascinating.