Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss among the general population in Jordan; A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Obesity has emerged as a global pandemic, with its prevalence notably increasing during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2019. In response, many individuals have turned to pharmacological interventions, including antidiabetic medications, as means of achieving weight loss with minimal effort. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Jordanian population regarding the use of antidiabetic agents, specifically glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and biguanides, for weight management.

Method: A self-administered validated online questionnaire was developed and disseminated to public utilizing a cross-sectional design. Data were extracted to examine descriptive statistics. Linear regression was performed to evaluate associations with knowledge and attitude. A p-value ≤0.05 was chosen to indicate statistical significance.

Results: Total of 389 responses were analyzed, 65.6% females, 54.2% married, 78.1% living in the center of Jordan, 35.5% overweight and 26.5% have >1000 Jordanian Dinars monthly income. Fifty seven percent of the study participants think that antidiabetics could be used for weight loss. 47.27%, 44.55%, 68.18% recognized glucagon-like peptide-1receptor agonists; (Ozempic®), (Saxenda®), (Mounjaro®) as well as (Glucophage®) use for weight loss, respectively and 12.3% of participants used medications to lose weight. Neutral attitude was observed. Gender and body mass index were significantly affecting the participants knowledge (p<0.001, p = 0.002, respectively).

Conclusion: Use of (Ozempic®), (Saxenda®) and other antidiabetics to lose weight become a common practice. The results of this study suggests supervising prescription and dispensing to avoid misuse, especially, in people who are contraindicated to use them.