SAT-693 The Wealth of Nations and the Weight Loss Revolution: Demographics and Economic Influences of Semaglutide

Abstract Disclosure: I. Diaz-Djevoich: None. T. Leone-Berry: None. R. Kronfle Cordovez: None. C. Vela Velásquez: None. G. Minchalo-Ochoa: None. S. Balda Cañizares: None. M. Panchana-Lascano: None. F. Veintemilla-Burgos: None. K. Robles-Velasco: None. I. Cherrez-Ojeda: None. Background: Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, has gained prominence for its dual role in managing type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss. The growing global interest in its commercial presentation Ozempic represents a shift in public health priorities and treatment strategies. This study explores global trends in public interest using Google Trends, with Relative Search Volume (RSV) as the main metric to assess the frequency of search queries related to Ozempic on different regions in a specific time frame. Methods: Google Trends data for “Ozempic” were collected from 44 countries (2017-2024).The countries were selected by performing an initial search within the "worldwide" category. To compare the search volumes on semaglutide across various nations, we normalized RSV by considering the population size of each country. In the absence of normalization, countries with bigger populations may have higher search volumes as a result of their greater number of inhabitants. RSV was normalized by population and analyzed in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, internet access, population density and surface area using Pearson’s correlation. Search volume trends and interests over time were developed using the Statistical Package for Social Science V21. Results: Semaglutide-related web searches surged globally. Ireland had the highest normalized search volume per capita during the past seven years, followed by Finland, Norway, Lebanon, Denmark, Belgium, and New Zealand. Internet searches on semaglutide in these countries were more than 100-fold more frequent compared to countries with the lowest per capita normalized search rates i.e. Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, Indonesia, and India. RSV correlated positively with GDP per capita (r=0.601, p<0.001) and internet access (r=0.384, p=0.010). Correlation between population density (r= -0.080, p=0.606) and surface area (r= -0.155, p=0.317) was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Countries with higher internet usage and GDP per capita tend to have more interest in semaglutide, suggesting that wealthy and globally connected countries have easier access to information about the drug. Public health policies aiming to inform with accurate indications, benefits , and risk of semaglutide on the internet could be an effective tool for wealthier countries. Further research is needed for semaglutide seeking behavior on lower income countries with limited internet access. Presentation: Saturday, July 12, 2025