The Study
Differential impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for weight loss in the type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic populations.
This study looked at many other studies that followed people taking weight loss drugs. It found that people who took the drugs lost more weight than those who didn't, but because the studies weren't experiments (people weren't randomly assigned), we can't be sure the drugs caused the weight loss; other factors might be at play.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
This study combined results from 45 previous studies to see how well GLP-1 drugs (like Wegovy and Ozempic) help people lose weight. They found that people without diabetes lose much more weight than those with diabetes.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 548 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The difference is big: a 100kg person without diabetes could lose ~15.7kg, but a diabetic person would lose only ~5.1kg.
- 2That's about three times more weight loss for non-diabetics.
- 3People without diabetes lost about 15.7% of their body weight in a year, while those with diabetes lost only 5.1%.
- 4Semaglutide (Wegovy) worked better than liraglutide (Saxenda).
- 5People who took their medicine regularly lost the most weight.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Surgical endoscopy
Year
2026
Authors
Iwanger-I-ter Jia, Grace C. Bloomfield, Mike Y. Chen, Marcus H. Cunningham, Annie Wang, Shaun C. Daly, M. Hinojosa, Brian R Smith, Ninh T. Nguyen, Dan E. Azagury, N. Prindeze
Related Content
Claims (6)
Liraglutide causes an 8% loss of body weight in people who do not have diabetes.
GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of diabetes drugs, lead to more weight loss than placebo. In a large analysis of 45 studies with over 56,000 people, those without type 2 diabetes lost about 15.7% of their body weight in 12 months, while those with diabetes lost about 5.1%.
People without diabetes lose 2.5 to 4 times more weight on GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs than people with diabetes. This difference is independent of other factors and is confirmed by a meta-regression analysis.
People who consistently take GLP-1 receptor agonist medications lose more weight than those who do not take them regularly. This difference is observed when comparing patients who follow their treatment plan versus those who drop out or are analyzed in broader groups.
Semaglutide leads to more weight loss than liraglutide in people with or without diabetes, based on combined data from multiple studies. The difference is statistically significant, meaning it is unlikely to be due to chance.
People with a higher starting body mass index tend to lose a smaller percentage of their body weight when taking GLP-1 receptor agonist medications. For every unit increase in baseline BMI, the percent weight loss decreases by 0.46 percentage points.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.