ParrotPalParrotPal Data · short read
1 in 3 members using GLP-1 medication logged under 800 kcal on at least a quarter of their days
Key findings
32.9% of ParrotPal members who told us they use GLP-1 medication logged under 800 kcal on at least a quarter of their logged days, March to August 2026, against 25.0% of members who don’t. Some logged days are incomplete, so these shares overstate very-low intake. Source: ParrotPal anonymised food diaries, more than 500 members using GLP-1 medication.
About 1 in 3 members who told us they use GLP-1 medication (32.9%) logged under 800 kcal on at least a quarter of their logged days. Among members who don’t, it was 1 in 4 (25.0%). Logged days can be partly logged, so some of these days will be incomplete.
32.9%logged under 800 kcal on a quarter or more of their days
A quarter of days under 800 kcal
Share of membersWomen using GLP-1 medication were the group most likely to have these days: 37.0% against 29.6% of women who don’t. Re-weighted to the same age and sex mix, the gap held: 32.3% against 26.5%.
Across all logged days, 19.7% of days logged by members using GLP-1 medication came to under 800 kcal, against 16.6%; under 1,200 kcal, 41.6% against 35.0%.
A counted day needs only 3 entries and 300 kcal, so a day where someone stopped logging after lunch counts. That means these shares overstate how often anyone really had under 800 kcal. We make no claim that any member was under-eating or unsafe.
If you’re struggling to eat, talk to your prescriber, GP or pharmacist.
What this means
Very small logged days are more common among members using GLP-1 medication. Diaries can’t say how many of those days were complete, which is why this is a pattern to discuss with a professional, not a verdict on anyone’s eating.
What the research says
NICE treats very-low-calorie diets (800 kcal a day or less) as something to consider only within a specialist service, with clinical support.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2025). Overweight and obesity management (NG246): physical activity and diet. NICE guideline NG246. www.nice.org.uk
A 2025 joint advisory from four US nutrition and obesity societies notes that higher protein targets, such as 1.2–1.6 g per kg a day, have been proposed during active weight reduction (or an absolute 80–120 g a day), and that protein intake in adults should not fall below 0.4–0.5 g per kg a day.
Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. (2025). Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity 33(8):1475–1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336
Research describes other groups of people; our figures are what ParrotPal members logged.
The figures
| Group | Using GLP-1 medication | Not using it |
|---|---|---|
| All members | 32.9% | 25.0% |
| Women | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| Same age and sex mix (non-users re-weighted) | 32.3% | 26.5% |
| Share of all logged days | Using GLP-1 medication | Not using it |
|---|---|---|
| Under 800 kcal logged | 19.7% | 16.6% |
| Under 1,200 kcal logged | 41.6% | 35.0% |
Method in brief. ParrotPal members’ anonymised food diaries, 1 March to 31 August 2026, members in every country. A counted day has 3 or more entries and 300 to 6,000 kcal; members need 7 or more counted days; deleted entries don’t count. GLP-1 use is each member’s latest answer to our sign-up question; “not using it” means they said they weren’t using any. Weight is each member’s median weigh-in in the window. more than 500 members using GLP-1 medication; the share of members needs 7 or more counted days each.
Aggregates only: every group shown has 50 or more members and no share rests on fewer than 10. Patterns in what members logged, not causes. who’s counted · the 50/10 rule · logged isn’t eaten.
Questions people ask
How many calories do people using GLP-1 medication log?
In ParrotPal diaries, March to August 2026, the typical member who told us they use GLP-1 medication logged about 1,350 kcal a day, against 1,500 kcal for other members. Logged isn’t always everything someone had.
How many calories should I eat on GLP-1 medication?
We don’t give calorie prescriptions. Your prescriber, GP or a dietitian can advise you. If you’re struggling to eat, talk to them or your pharmacist.
Cite this
Free to use with credit and a link to the source page. The figures and chart are licensed CC BY 4.0.
Credit line
Source: ParrotPal food diary data, parrotpal.com/data/glp1-low-calorie-days/
Citation
ParrotPal (2026). 1 in 3 members using GLP-1 medication logged under 800 kcal on at least a quarter of their days. ParrotPal Data. https://parrotpal.com/data/glp1-low-calorie-days/. Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Embed the chart (an image with the credit link)
<figure><img src="https://parrotpal.com/data/glp1-low-calorie-days/chart.svg" alt="A quarter of days under 800 kcal: chart by ParrotPal" width="760" style="max-width:100%;height:auto" /><figcaption>Source: <a href="https://parrotpal.com/data/glp1-low-calorie-days/">ParrotPal food diary data</a> (CC BY 4.0)</figcaption></figure>
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Press questions, a comment or a chart in your house style: the ParrotPal team, jacqui+press@parrotpal.com. All our data pages: ParrotPal Data.
Want a protein number to aim for? Try the protein calculator.
Please read. This page reports patterns in anonymised, aggregated app data. This page is general information, not medical advice. It isn’t tailored to you and doesn’t replace advice from your prescriber, GP or dietitian. Talk to your prescriber, GP or pharmacist about what’s right for you.
ParrotPal doesn’t sell, supply or recommend any medicine. GLP-1 use is what members told us when they joined.