By Sohaib Shams
People scrolling through social media encounter dramatic weight-loss results from medications such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic. Users share photographs, discuss side effects and recommend strategies, making personal stories feel especially convincing when they come from individuals with similar experiences. A 2026 UK study involving 684 adults, including 544 current or former users of weight-loss drugs, found that 48% relied on social media for information about the medications, while healthcare professionals were consulted less frequently.
Personal Stories Feel More Convincing
Psychology suggests people are more receptive to advice from those they perceive as members of their own group, a concept known as social identity. When someone identifies strongly with a group, they pay particular attention to what other members say and do. Advice from people who share their experiences can feel more relevant and trustworthy, even when those people lack medical expertise. For someone who has faced judgement about their weight, finding a community that understands their difficulties can be especially valuable.
Social Identity Drives Trust
Research co-authored by Andy Levy explored how a shared sense of identity could be encouraged in a group-based exercise rehabilitation programme for people with chronic lung disease. Although the study did not test whether this improved outcomes, it illustrated how a sense of belonging might encourage mutual support. Similar psychological processes may help explain the appeal of online weight-loss communities. The difficulty arises when trust in someone with shared experiences extends to their medical advice; a person may genuinely benefit from a medication without understanding its risks or whether their experience is typical.
Online Communities Shape Expectations
Online groups can provide encouragement and practical support, but they also influence which experiences receive attention and which opinions become widely accepted. A 2021 study involving interviews with 32 participants in a professionally supervised online weight-management programme in China found that peer support boosted motivation and a sense of belonging, yet comparisons with other members could reinforce unhelpful group expectations. Similar pressures may arise in communities discussing weight-loss medication: repeated exposure to dramatic success stories may lead individuals to expect the same results, and questioning a widely praised drug’s effectiveness or discussing negative experiences can feel uncomfortable.
Andy Levy is a Reader in Psychology at Edge Hill University.
