In the UAE, food has become something of a spectacle. Weekend brunch buffets stretch across ballrooms, with towers of oysters, live cooking stations plating up every imaginable cuisine and free-flowing chocolate fountains.
The dining scene comes with a liberal garnish of indulgence.
Lately, that indulgence seems to be taking on a new shape. Diners are still filling tables, but many are ordering less. Several chefs, doctors and patrons cite one common theme: a growing number of diners are using GLP-1 medication, such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy.
Originally developed to help manage diabetes, the drugs are now prescribed more widely for weight control and decreased appetite. They dull hunger, steady blood sugar and, for many, change their relationship with food.
A surge, even without clear numbers
There’s no definitive figure for how many people in the UAE are on GLP-1s, but the supply offers some context.
Dubai resident
According to global clinical research service IQVIA’s 2025 Middle East & Africa Business Insights, the UAE’s pharmaceutical market reached $4.87 billion last year, up 10.8 per cent from 2023. The class of newer Type 2 diabetes treatments – which includes GLP-1 drugs – grew 15.9 per cent, among the fastest of any therapy area in the region.
Eli Lilly, the American pharmaceutical company that makes Mounjaro, was the region’s fastest-growing pharmaceutical company, with sales climbing almost 29 per cent.
“We continue to experience extraordinary demand for our incretin medicines,” Tony Terzis, Eli Lilly's associate vice president of medical affairs for the Middle East and Turkey, tells The National. He adds that the company has invested more than $55 billion since 2020 to expand manufacturing capacity.
He emphasises obesity remains “a serious, chronic disease” and urges that the drugs be used only under medical supervision.
From prescription to habit
Clinics in Dubai confirm rapid increase in prescriptions, too. At GluCare, a diabetes centre in the city, doctors say the number of patients who are on GLP-1 therapy rose by an estimated 110 per cent per year between 2021 and 2023, peaking when nearly half of the centre's diabetic patients were using the medication.
Now, the pattern is stabilising. Patients start on the course with close medical oversight and complementary nutrition and exercise plans. Once health goals are met, doctors gradually taper the dose. Those on Mounjaro specifically have lost an average of 9kg over 12 months while maintaining most of their muscle mass, according to GluCare data.
For many, the change has shifted outside the medical chart.
'I still go out, I just eat differently’
Dubai resident Sarah Rice has been taking Mounjaro for three years. She began the medication for weight management and now uses it for maintenance, having lost more than 25kg.
“As the desire to eat reduced, it affected my decision to eat out or order takeout in the beginning,” she says. “But after a while, I adapted. Even though I only use Mounjaro for maintenance now, it still helps keep my cravings at bay and quiets the food chatter.”
Rice's approach to dining has changed, although her social life hasn’t.
“I never skip social meals,” she says. “I still enjoy going out to dinner with friends. I just eat less. I don’t order a starter, main and dessert like I used to – maybe two starters, or one main and a side. And usually I am unable to finish them.”
Rice says she approaches restaurants and food on her own terms.
“I rarely finish a plate now, and I’m fine with that,” she says. “Sometimes I over-order and realise halfway through that the Mounjaro is kicking in – and I just can’t eat any more. But the social part of dining out is still important to me.”
Another Dubai resident, who requested anonymity, and who has been on the medication for two years, echoes Rice's sentiments.
“It hasn’t affected how often I eat out,” she says. “I just can’t eat as much, so I’ll skip a starter or dessert. I still enjoy the food – I just don’t finish the whole portion.”
Restaurants come into the mix
At The Banc, a restaurant in Business Bay, Dubai, co-founder Mazlum Topcu noticed regulars ordering fewer dishes and leaving more behind. Earlier this year, he introduced the Mini Bancer, a menu of half-size, protein-forward dishes such as grilled sea bream and barbecue chicken.
“We wanted to make the ordering process easier for the people who told us they were coming in on these medications and didn’t want to waste food,” Topcu says.
Hotels are clocking the same trend. Carlos Solares, director of food and beverage at Movenpick JLT and Voco Bonnington Dubai, says diners are “opting to skip starters and desserts, focusing primarily on main courses. Many guests are requesting smaller portions or lighter dishes.
“This shift is influenced by dietary preferences, health considerations, and a desire to manage food intake more effectively.”
Solares adds that the average spend per guest has also fluctuated, with some restaurants seeing slight increases and others small drops, depending on menu pricing and how they respond to changing demand.
“Diners are prioritising health-conscious options,” he says. “There’s growing interest in high-protein dishes, vegetarian or vegan meals, and non-alcoholic beverages. At Rohini, our modern Indian restaurant, vegetables are the stars.”
Meal plans for smaller appetites
The same recalibration is happening at home. Mitun De Sarkar, clinical dietitian and founder of Simply Healthy, says many of her new clients arrive already on GLP-1s. “They tell me they get full after a few bites or that heavy food makes them nauseous,” she says. “However, while appetites change, nutritional needs don’t.”
De Sarkar's team has created a GLP-1-specific meal plan built around smaller portions and balanced nutrients. “We focus on protein, fibre and anti-inflammatory foods,” she says. “For years, people asked how little they could eat. Now they’re asking how to eat well with less.”
Experts at Eli Lilly and GluCare agree that change could carry public health benefits in a country battling high rates of diabetes and obesity. However, they warn against unregulated versions of the drugs and the temptation to view them as a shortcut to sustainable weight loss.
For the dining industry, it’s simply another moment to evolve – to reimagine indulgence for a new kind of diner.
“These shifts are part of a broader pattern we’re seeing across the dining industry,” Solares says. “Restaurants are adapting with lighter options, smaller portions and new menu ideas to meet evolving expectations.”
