Social media users can’t stop talking about a new Eli Lilly and Company commercial that some believe promotes obesity, while others argue that it instead encourages positive body image.
The ad, titled “My Business,” features a man addressing reporters at a press conference. He calls out people who comment on his weight, including those who encourage him to diet or go to the gym.
“I’ve been dieting since I was 12,” the man says. “You think I need to hear about your workout routine? You don’t stop to ask about mine.”
He also takes aim at the “comment section,” telling them that he will focus on “what really matters” rather than paying attention to unsolicited opinions.
“My health is my focus, and my body is nobody’s business,” he adds.
There are so many things wrong with Lilly, a company that makes billions of dollars from obesity drugs, running a commercial during the Rose Bowl basically promoting the idea that obesity is perfectly healthy. pic.twitter.com/KNrJeeBvzn
— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) January 1, 2026
Eli Lilly and Company unveiled the ad just weeks after revealing a new obesity drug that helps with weight loss and reduces knee arthritis pain. According to CNBC, patients who received the highest dose lost an average of nearly 24% of their body weight over 68 weeks. Those who remained on the highest dose achieved an average weight loss of 28.7%.
The commercial aired during Thursday’s College Football Playoff games and immediately drew mixed reactions. OutKick’s Dan Zaksheske blasted the ad as “bizarre,” criticizing what he described as an attempt to “pretend” that obesity is merely a lifestyle choice.
“Obesity isn’t healthy,” Zaksheske wrote. “Telling someone to eat right and exercise isn’t fat-shaming.”
“The Eli Lilly commercial is the dumbest ad I have ever seen on television — and from a pharma company, of all companies,” one X user argued. “The ad encourages morbid obesity ‘as long as one feels healthy.’ That’s not science. It’s idiocy. Awful look for a pharma company to encourage illness.”
That Lilly: A Medicine Company health commercial I just saw is inappropriate. I have lost 40 pounds since late June 2025. That’s a dangerous message to send to people.
— Brad Talk of Utah County (@BradJamesRadio) January 1, 2026
However, not everyone reacted negatively. Some users on the r/zepbound subreddit, which discusses Zepbound — a weight loss medication that treats obesity and sleep apnea — praised the commercial’s message as “powerful.”
“This hits so close to home,” one poster wrote. “Everybody’s got a [expletive] opinion about your body and your health no matter what you do. They’ve always got something to say.”
Another Reddit user added, “It was never easy to go to the doctor. Now I look forward to seeing my doctor and saying, ‘See, I told you I had a disease called obesity.’ I’m much more confident now when I go to the doctor, even though she’s always ordering blood work.”
Much of the feedback in the thread was positive, with some users rejecting the idea that the commercial promoted obesity. Instead, they argued that Lilly was trying to make consumers feel comfortable seeking treatment.
“‘My body is nobody’s business but mine,’” one Reddit user chimed in. “And my doctor. And my insurance. And my pharmacy benefit manager. And…”
