Packaged foods court GLP-1 users with “GLP-1 Friendly” labels

Food companies are increasingly marketing meals and snacks to people using weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound, with “GLP-1 Friendly” labels showing up in more U.S. supermarkets.

Dietitians interviewed by The Associated Press said the food labels are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, unlike the medications themselves. Registered dietitian Suzy Badaracco, president of the food trends forecasting firm Culinary Tides, said a drug does not educate people on healthy eating.

“A drug does not educate you on how to eat properly,” Badaracco said. “You’re not magically going to be educated — without a doctor’s help — to eat healthy.”

Shannon Christen, a dietitian and diabetes educator with UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, said people taking GLP-1 drugs may still have nutritional needs similar to the general population. Christen said the difference is that GLP-1 users eat less because the medications suppress their appetites, and she said they can expect to eat around 50% less than they did before starting the drugs.

“Every bite needs to be nutritious,” Christen said. Christen said she generally recommends patients eat 20-30 grams of protein per meal, or 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight daily, describing protein as a way to help maintain muscle mass as people lose weight. For fiber, Samantha Snashall, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, said GLP-1 users should try to meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommended daily amount—around 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed—calling constipation a frequent side effect of the medications.

Snashall also said people on GLP-1 drugs should avoid meals and snacks that are deep fried, high in sugar or saturated fat, and spicy or acidic, because those foods can worsen side effects and work against weight-loss efforts. Badaracco added that dehydration is another concern, saying it can be easy for GLP-1 users to get dehydrated because the drugs may block the body’s thirst signals. She said fresh fruits and vegetables provide hydration and that patients should drink water throughout the day.

At the same time, food companies are betting that “GLP-1 Friendly” marketing will expand as demand grows. The AP reported that around 12% of U.S. adults were taking GLP-1 medications as of November to lose weight or treat chronic conditions like diabetes, citing a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The article also said companies expect demand to rise as GLP-1 injections become more widely available in pill form, noting that Wegovy became available in pill form last week.

Nestlé launched its Vital Pursuit frozen meal brand in the fall of 2024 and did not use a “GLP-1 Friendly” label at first. Jennifer Barnes, vice president of brand marketing for Nestlé’s frozen meals, said the company added the label after customers reported it would help them identify products that met their dietary needs. Barnes said sales have been brisk and that 77% of Vital Pursuit sales come from households where no one is using GLP-1 drugs.

Other companies have followed. The AP said Conagra Brands added a “GLP-1 Friendly” label to 26 Healthy Choice frozen meals in early 2025, and that Smoothie King has a “GLP-1 Support Menu,” while Factor offers “GLP-1 Balance.” The article said Conagra and Nestlé received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to use the term, with the USDA saying it granted approval because the labels include statements about protein and fiber content and aren’t misleading. The USDA also reiterated there is no regulatory standard for the term “GLP-1 Friendly.”

Dietitians said consumers should still scrutinize ingredient lists and nutrition facts for added sugars, sodium, and fat. Snashall said labels can be “very misleading,” telling The AP, “Labels can be very misleading, making a person think it’s healthier than it is.” The AP cited Vital Pursuit’s Cauliflower Crust Three Meat Pizza as an example, saying it has 400 calories and 32% of the recommended daily value of protein, but also 40% of the recommended sodium and saturated fat, and 18 grams of fat—higher than Christen’s guidance to choose foods with less than 10 grams of fat per serving because fat can worsen symptoms like nausea and acid reflux.

Christen also said she hopes foods labeled “GLP-1 Friendly” are nutrient dense and come in reasonable portions. “Done responsibly, I think the labels could actually help people make smart choices while they’re on therapies, but done poorly, it could trivialize the medical treatment and drift into diet culture marketing,” Christen said.

Badaracco said she advises clients not to put “GLP-1 Friendly” on packaging. She said the labels aren’t backed by standards and may confuse customers by making them think eating frozen and ready-made meals that mention the medications will provide the benefits of the drugs. Instead, Badaracco said labels should focus on what consumers are looking for—protein, fiber, hydration, flavor, and energy.

“You want to talk to the consumer about what it is that they’re looking for. They’re looking for protein, they’re looking for fiber, a good source of hydration, great flavor, it keeps your energy up,” Badaracco said.