GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic have undoubtedly made their mark on healthcare. But they have also begun to shape the broader economy.

While there are those “salivating at the prospect of where AI can go in the years ahead,” perhaps the “bigger leap in the near term” is the “technological miracle that’s stopping us salivating at all,” Jim Reid, the global head of macro and thematic strategy at Deutsche Bank, said in a commentary. Perhaps the GLP-1 is the “real short-term general-purpose technology for a wider range of consumers, especially in the U.S." In other words, the age of the Ozempic economy has arrived. 

Groceries
Because GLP-1’s help eliminate “food noise,” which can “lead to bingeing and distracting thoughts about eating,” patients are “cutting back on snacks and spending more on healthy items,” said The Washington Post. Compared with non-GLP-1 households, GLP-1 users “reduced their spending by 10%” over a year across “100 categories including groceries, quick-service restaurants and tobacco,” according to data company Numerator. Researchers increasingly see a “shift away from volume” with customers’ grocery shopping and instead note a move toward what economists call “premiumization,” said research firm Benzinga. 

Retail
Sales of smaller-sized clothing for both men and women have increased, according to a study by Impact Analytics. Credit and debit card data, according to Consumer Edge, also shows that “formal-wear sales surged 80%” and sporting goods “jumped 24%” in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period last year. The shift could indicate a “need” or “desire to buy new clothing and accessories after undergoing a positive life change,” said Michael Gunther, the head of insights at Consumer Edge.

Workforce
This shift is not so much about consumer spending, but it has an economic impact linked to changes in workforce potential associated with GLP-1 use. For nonworking women, those who use GLP-1s are 27% more likely to start a job within 18 months of their weight loss than those who aren’t using GLP-1s but want to, according to a study published by Harvard economics professor Rebecca Diamond.

The heat waves afflicting regions around the world this summer have been some of the worst ever. And these high temperatures can exacerbate gender inequality, said The Guardian, and women, particularly in low-income families, are “at the sharp end.”

Why are women more impacted?
Women are more at risk of health complications during a heat wave for two main reasons, said Nighat Arif, a U.K. doctor who specializes in women’s health, to the BBC. First, women respond differently to heat than men do. They sweat less and start sweating at a higher temperature. These thresholds make it harder for women to “quickly shed excess heat,” and fewer visible indications mean women can find it hard to judge how much their bodies are “under burden,” said the outlet. 

The second reason is hormone regulation. Levels of estrogen and progesterone shift “substantially” during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause and can knock the brain’s temperature regulation systems “out of kilter,” said the BBC.

How does this present itself socially?
“How people experience heat is often gendered,” said researchers Febe De Geest and Sergio Jarillo at The Conversation. In domestic settings, particularly across Africa, Asia and Oceania, women tend to spend more time indoors in “poorly ventilated homes,” acting as primary caregivers. 

There’s also a “seasonal upswing in violence associated with hot weather,” even in countries typically associated with better provisions for the heat, said The Guardian. This could be due to the “temperature-aggression theory,” in which hot weather increases “discomfort, frustration, impulsivity and aggression, all of which make violence more likely.” Or it could be linked to greater alcohol consumption, which in turn “increases the opportunities for interpersonal conflicts and subsequent violence.”

What can be done?
In practical terms, it’s important that women drink “at least six to eight cups of nonalcoholic, noncaffeinated transparent-liquid drinks” to help with temperature regulation during periods of extreme heat, said U.K. doctor Anisha Patel to ITV. They should make sure to continue taking prescribed medication as normal, including HRT or other drugs designed to help with menopause.

Making sure women can cope with heat is “not a woman’s problem,” said Arif to the BBC. “This is a societal problem. If we get it right for women, we get it right for everyone.”

Irish cyclist Ben Healy of Team EF Education-EasyPost rides out in front of the peloton during the 17th stage of the Tour de France in the hills outside Voiron, France. Belgian cyclist Jasper Philipsen won the day’s stage.
Mosa’ab Elshamy / AP Photo

Your eyes do not deceive you. These colossal hotel swimming pools are as gigantic as they look. Some are historic, and some are modern wonders, but all are architectural marvels.

The Biltmore, Coral Gables, Florida
Guests have been diving into this property’s massive pool that covers 23,000 square feet and holds 600,000 gallons of water since 1926. Surrounded by “grand Mediterranean architecture and classical statues,” the pool is an opulent spot for “doing laps or having a leisurely float,” said Secret Miami. Esther Williams once used it as her stage, putting on aquatic shows before starstruck crowds.

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Think of Singapore, and its distinctive Marina Bay Sands hotel will likely come to mind. The property — three towers with a rooftop infinity pool “balanced” across the 57th floors (pictured above) — is a “fixture of every postcard rack and travel brochure,” said Travel and Leisure. At 492-feet long, it’s the world’s largest infinity pool. Only open to hotel guests, the views from the deck are phenomenal, and it’s “obligatory” to take a selfie with the skyscrapers behind you.

The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India
At this “glamorous” hotel, the long pool that stretches past its suites is an “architectural work of wonder,” said Condé Nast Traveler. Guests can slip into the water from their patios or relax on a lounger, gazing out at the pool “sandwiched between views of the garden and ocean.” For the ultimate stay, book one of the extravagant accommodations that comes with its own private pool.