From high BMI to the 'GLP-1 look': how weight-loss jabs are changing the face of beauty
A Guardian Art and Design analysis explores how GLP-1 receptor agonist weight-loss injections — including Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda — are reshaping perceptions of beauty and the body in western culture. Writer Charlotte Higgins draws comparisons between historically idealised body types and what has come to be known as the 'GLP-1 look'.
The piece argues that Renaissance painting, particularly the works of Titian and Rubens, idealised fuller, more rounded female bodies. That body type was, in the famine-prone conditions of the era, seen as a marker of prosperity. Higgins notes that even Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa would, by today's measures, sit close to a high BMI.
Today, a contrasting aesthetic associated with GLP-1 drug use has emerged: 'pronounced cheekbones, taut facial features, dramatic weight loss'. On social media this is sometimes referred to as 'Ozempic face'. Dermatologists have noted that rapid weight loss produces facial volume loss, which appears as a side effect of the medication.
London-based King's College Professor of Visual Culture Sarah Thornton told the Guardian: 'This trend represents a deep shift in the social meaning of the body; bodies that historically symbolised power and prosperity are now becoming, through pharmacological intervention, controlled bodies.'
The Guardian analysis also addresses the fashion industry's response. According to a 2026 report by the New York-based fashion analytics firm Edited, the average BMI of luxury ready-to-wear runway models has fallen 8 per cent between 2020 and 2025. Edited director Ana Andjelic said: 'This is not a trend that can be linked directly to weight-loss drug use, but the correlation is clear.'
Yale University endocrinologist Dr Ania Jastreboff warned about the use of weight-loss medication for purely aesthetic purposes. In a previous comment to STAT News, she said: 'GLP-1 medications are clinically approved drugs for obesity; aesthetic-purpose use is both ethically and safety-wise problematic.'
The Guardian piece also addresses the public-health implications of beauty trends beyond cultural comparison. Glasgow University nutrition and obesity researcher Professor Naveed Sattar said: 'When society normalises unhealthy thinness, mental-health problems including eating disorders may rise.'
Content analysis on social media platforms shows that posts using the 'GLP-1 look' hashtag rose eightfold between 2024 and 2026. A significant share of TikTok and Instagram content creators popularising this trend say they obtained the medication from online providers without a physician prescription.
Pharmaceutical ethics bodies the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the British Medical Association (BMA) emphasise the safety risks of non-prescription online access. According to the RPS's May report, online sales of GLP-1 medications in the UK have tripled compared with 2024.
The article suggests that the 'GLP-1 look' debate may signal the beginning of an era in which aesthetic standards are redefined through pharmacological agents. The discussion extends from art-historical perspective to contemporary public-health concern. This article is general information; individual decisions about weight-loss medications and aesthetic interventions should be evaluated with a qualified healthcare professional.