Overweight, Obesity, Weight Management: Top Papers in 2022

Semaglutide 2.4 mg: Weight Loss in Real-world Study Matches STEP Trial

Semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy, Novo Nordisk) was associated with a mean weight loss of 5.9% after 3 months among 150 patients treated for weight management at a referral center, according to findings of a new real-world study.

Investigators reported further that reduction in bodyweight with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist increased to 10.9% at 6 months. Moreover, the Mayo Clinic team found that >50% of semaglutide users achieved weight loss of ≥10% at 6 months.

Adolescents with Severe Obesity Lost Weight and Sustained it After Bariatric Surgery, New Research Finds

Adolescents with severe obesity who underwent bariatric surgery before the age of 22 had significant sustained reductions in weight and comorbidities a decade or more after surgery, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and the University of Miami found that at a mean follow-up of 14.4 years after undergoing bariatric surgery, mean total body weight decreased by 31.3% among participants. Also, investigators noted that participants had a 100% remission in diabetes, asthma, and elevated lipids.

Antiobesity Medications May Support Long-term 10% Weight Loss, Suggests New Study

Persons with overweight and obesity maintained an average weight loss of 10.6% over 3 to 5 years following a program of lifestyle change in combination with antiobesity medications, according to research presented at ENDO 2022.

The number is significant, the study authors note, as weight loss of 10% is associated with improvements in both morbidity and mortality related to the disease of obesity. The findings may also support wider adoption of antiobesity medications, which to date, according to investigators are “an underutilized treatment option for obesity.”

Tirzepatide Yields Top Weight Loss of 20% or More in SURMOUNT Clinical Trial

Use of tirzepatide to treat adults with overweight or obesity resulted in weight loss of up to 22.5% in the SURMOUNT-1 trial.

The novel, investigational GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, dosed once weekly, met its coprimary endpoints—superior mean percent change in body weight from baseline and greater percentage of participants achieving weight reductions of at least 5% vs placebo therapy.

New Novo Nordisk Combination Rx Better than Components for T2D, Weight Loss

Novo Nordisk announced Monday topline results from a phase II clinical trial of its once-weekly subcutaneous combination of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide and a novel amylin analogue, cagrilintide (CagriSema).

The most provocative finding associated with the fixed-dose combination administered to patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and overweight was a reduction in body weight of 15.6% in this group compared to groups treated with either of the drugs dosed individually, according to a Novo Nordisk statement.