Cleveland Clinic researchers investigated the weight outcomes of 3,389 obese patients who were prescribed either semaglutide or liraglutide. After one year, semaglutide resulted in an average 5.1% reduction in body weight, and liraglutide saw a 2.2% reduction, according to the results published Sept. 13 in JAMA.
For specific conditions, the average body weight change was -12.9% with semaglutide for obesity, -5.9% with semaglutide for Type 2 diabetes, -5.6% with liraglutide for obesity, and -3.1% with liraglutide for Type 2 diabetes.
The study participants were prescribed the medications for either Type 2 diabetes or obesity between 2015 and mid-2022. Wegovy and Saxenda are approved for weight loss, and Ozempic and Victoza are for diabetes; all four are manufactured by Novo Nordisk.
Women were more likely than men to achieve a 10% weight loss. Higher doses and persistent medication coverage were also associated with more weight loss, the study found.
About 40% of patients consistently took the medication for at least one year.
