Can use of popular weight loss medications reduce behaviors linked to violent crime?
Wiley
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely prescribed for diabetes and obesity, but studies have found evidence that the medications may also influence behavior, such as supporting impulse control and reducing substance use and alcohol consumption by potentially interacting with the brain’s reward and stress systems. New research in Criminology adds to this growing evidence.
When investigators analyzed data from a 2025 nationally representative US survey involving 821 adults who had ever used GLP-1 medications, they found that while impulsivity and alcohol use were strongly associated with committing violent crime, these associations were significantly weaker among current GLP-1 RA users compared with former users. So even when a GLP-1 RA user drinks or acts impulsively, the situation is less likely to escalate into engaging in violent criminality. More thorough analyses showed that this finding was especially consistent related to impulsivity, but less so with alcohol use.
The findings suggest that GLP-1 RAs may lessen the extent to which certain established risk factors translate into violent behavior.
“As GLP-1 medications become increasingly widespread, understanding their broader behavioral effects becomes an important public health and criminological question that requires careful study,” said corresponding author Daniel C. Semenza, PhD, of Rutgers University.
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1745-9125.70058
Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.
About the Journal
Criminology is devoted to the study of crime and deviant behavior. Interdisciplinary in scope, the journal publishes articles that advance the theoretical and research agenda of criminology and criminal justice.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global leader in authoritative content and research intelligence for the advancement of scientific discovery, innovation, and learning. With more than 200 years at the center of the scholarly ecosystem, Wiley combines trusted publishing heritage with AI-powered platforms to transform how knowledge is discovered, accessed, and applied. From individual researchers and students to Fortune 500 R&D teams, Wiley enables the transformation of scientific breakthroughs into real-world impact. From knowledge to impact—Wiley is redefining what's possible in science and learning. Visit us at Wiley.com and Investors.Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Journal
Criminology
Article Title
GLP-1 receptor agonist use and violent crime among US adults
Article Publication Date
17-Jun-2026
Researchers link use of GLP-1 medications to lower risk of violence
A Rutgers study finds that treatments such as Ozempic and Wegovy may diminish the link between impulsivity and violent behavior
The use of GLP-1 medications commonly prescribed for weight loss or managing diabetes may have effects that extend beyond metabolic health, including on behaviors linked to violence, according to Rutgers researchers.
Their study, published in Criminology, examined whether the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, influences violent criminal behavior among adults by moderating the effects of impulsivity and alcohol intake.
Researchers analyzed data from a 2025 survey of 7,521 U.S. adults and focused their primary analyses on 821 individuals who had ever used a GLP-1 medication. The study compared current GLP-1 users with former users and examined whether medication use changed the relationship between violent behavior, impulsivity and alcohol use. Violent behavior was measured using a validated self-reported offending scale assessing behaviors such as fighting, assault and robbery.
“The strongest finding in the study was that the well-established link between impulsivity and violent behavior was substantially weaker among current GLP-1 users compared to former users,” said Daniel Semenza, the lead author of the study as well as the director of research at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at the Rutgers School of Public Health and an associate professor with the Rutgers School of Public Health. “As GLP-1 drugs become increasingly widespread, it is important to understand all of their potential behavioral effects, including those relevant to public safety,” Semenza said.
Researchers found that higher impulsivity and alcohol use were strongly associated with violent behavior overall, but those relationships were significantly weaker among current GLP-1 users. The association between impulsivity and violent behavior was about 62% weaker among current users compared with former users. The relationship between alcohol use and violent behavior was about 52% weaker among current users, although those findings were less consistent across sensitivity analyses.
“Our findings are consistent with these medications working like cognitive behavioral therapy, weakening the path from impulse to action rather than eliminating impulsivity itself,” said Christopher Thomas, an assistant professor at Rutgers University-Camden and the coauthor of the study.
The study was observational and cross-sectional, meaning causal conclusions cannot be drawn, the researchers said. They emphasized the need for future longitudinal and experimental studies to determine whether GLP-1 medications reduce violence risk and to better understand the mechanisms involved.
Journal
Criminology
Method of Research
Survey
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
GLP-1 receptor agonist use and violent crime among US adults
Article Publication Date
17-Jun-2026
