Wegovy users keep weight off for almost four years: Study

Recently released clinical trial data on the GLP-1 agonist drug Wegovy found that weight loss was sustained for up to four years after participants began taking the drug injected once a week.

The multinational trial was sponsored by Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk. Data from some trials were cited by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year when it approved Wegovy, a form of semaglutide like Ozempic, to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events.

The study found that weight loss among the semaglutide group continued through week 68 of use and was sustained through week 208. At that point, those taking Wegovy lost and maintained an average of 10.2% of their weight and a average of 7 centimeters of your weight. waist.

According to the report, “clinically significant weight loss” was achieved among all genders, races, body sizes and participants in different geographic regions.

“The implications of weight loss of this degree in such a diverse population suggest that it may be possible to impact the public health burden of the multiple morbidities associated with obesity,” the report stated.

The researchers found that weight loss was lower among participants with a body mass index of less than 30 kg/m2. People with a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 are considered within the obesity range.

“Weight loss cannot continue indefinitely. There is a weight plateau that occurs after weight loss with all weight management treatments. This plateau has been called the ‘set point’ or ‘settling point,’ a body weight which is in harmony with the genetic and environmental determinants of body weight and adiposity. Perhaps people with a BMI <30 kg/m2 are closer to their balance point and have less weight to lose to reach it," they postulated.

As a GLP-1 agonist, Wegovy works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone that causes insulin secretion and regulates appetite. Approved uses for GLP-1 agonists to date include treating diabetes, obesity and, more recently, reducing the risk of serious cardiovascular events.

Previous studies have found that stopping the use of GLP-1 agonists results in them regaining some or all of the weight they lost while taking the medication. A 2022 study found that participants gained back about two-thirds of the weight they lost about a year after finishing treatment.

In clinical data shared this week, researchers acknowledged some limitations, including a lack of numbers on racial subgroups that could reveal “potential differential effects.” Body composition data such as fat mass and muscle mass were not recorded.

They also noted that Asian participants were more likely to have lower BMIs and the study did not include Asian patients who might have benefited despite having a lower BMI.

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