Metabolic Health: GLP-1s and the DIY Longevity Movement

For decades, we blamed our metabolism.

“I have a slow metabolism” became shorthand for why someone gained weight easily, had trouble losing it, or felt like their body worked against them. While there is some truth that metabolism can vary from person to person, that phrase never told the whole story.

Today, we’ve largely replaced that expression with another one: metabolic health. The difference is important. While many of us recognize the importance of isolated markers like weight or blood pressure, we aren't connecting the dots to see how these factors affect our metabolic health and its role in overall health and longevity.

Weight is what we can see. Metabolic health is what determines how well we live.

— Nan-Kirsten Forte, MS, Chief Growth Officer, Executive Vice President, and General Manager of Everyday Health Consumer

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A recent Everyday Health–YouGov online survey of nearly 3,000 U.S. adults found that most people either haven't heard the term metabolic health or don't fully understand what it means (80 percent), and only 20 percent said they understand the term well. Seventy-four percent understand the general pillars of healthy aging, but not specific clinical connections; just 38 percent correctly identified that low good cholesterol (HDL) is linked to poorer metabolic health; and while blood pressure is generally known to be important for overall health, 10 percent of U.S. adults from this survey thought it had little connection to metabolic health.

Today, science is teaching us to understand it. Weight is what we can see. Metabolic health is what determines how well we live. The most important health transformation happening today isn’t just weight loss — it’s a better understanding of metabolism.

Read the full article.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,874 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between July 10–14, 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. adults, ages 18 and older.

A recent Everyday Health–YouGov survey suggests just how much — and how little — the public knows about metabolic health. About 48 percent of U.S. adults didn't realize metabolic health isn't only about body weight (there's so much more to it), and 32 percent of U.S. adults had never even heard the term. In truth, metabolic health depends on many factors, including cholesterol, and influences things like liver health (two blind spots among the public, according to the survey). Building muscle, losing weight, getting more sleep, and eating a nutritious diet can help boost your metabolic health.

Read more about the survey and check out these key findings: