Overview
- Researchers presenting at ENDO 2026 on June 13 used NIH All of Us linked Fitbit data to compare activity before and after GLP‑1 initiation and found average daily steps fell from 5,047 to 4,487 while moderate‑to‑vigorous activity dropped from 27.9 to 22.2 minutes.
- The retrospective pre–post analysis included 753 people with sufficient wearable data out of 1,950 GLP‑1 starters; the cohort was 78.6% female with a mean age of 52.7 and high rates of musculoskeletal pain, hypertension and diabetes.
- Declines were larger in men and in people reporting joint or muscle pain, and the study found no evidence that weight loss on GLP‑1s led to more spontaneous activity.
- Authors and the Endocrine Society urge pairing GLP‑1 therapy with structured exercise prescriptions—especially resistance training—plus physical therapy or pain management and wearable monitoring to protect lean muscle and preserve function.
- The result is a preliminary, non–peer‑reviewed behavioral signal that adds to a mixed evidence base: some trials show preserved function, while the broader GLP‑1 landscape is rapidly expanding with new pills and multi‑agonists and ongoing questions about long‑term benefits, access, cost and adherence.