The Study
GLP-1RA- and Incretin-Based Therapies Within Lifestyle Interventions for Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
This study looked at lots of different experiments where people took weight-loss medicines and also changed their diet or exercise. It found that, on average, people lost about 10 pounds more than those who didn’t take the medicine. But because the studies were all different—some had better diets, some had more exercise—it’s not clear if the medicine alone caused all the weight loss.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether drugs like semaglutide and liraglutide help people lose more weight when combined with diet and exercise, compared to just diet and exercise alone.
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 560 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Losing 10 kg is a big improvement for health, but results varied a lot between studies — some people lost much more, others much less.
- 2On average, people lost about 10 kg (22 lbs) or 9.5% of their body weight when using these drugs with lifestyle changes.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2026
Authors
Alejandro Bruna-Mejias, Juan José Valenzuela-Fuenzalida, Gustavo Oyanedel, Julio Figueroa-Puig, J. Cabezas-Salgado, Mathias Orellana-Donoso, G. Cifuentes-Suazo, Juan Francisco Loro-Ferrer
Related Content
Claims (5)
Among adults with overweight or obesity, treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists or incretin-based therapies along with diet and physical activity is associated with an average weight loss of 10.08 kilograms.
Among adults with overweight or obesity, treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists and incretin-based therapies along with lifestyle changes is associated with an average 9.53 percentage point decrease in body weight, which aligns with weight loss measured in kilograms but is calculated differently.
Evidence supporting a 10 kg weight loss from GLP-1 receptor agonists and incretin-based therapies with lifestyle changes is considered unreliable because results vary too much between studies and many studies have methodological flaws, so the average weight loss does not reliably apply to everyone.
Combining GLP-1 receptor agonists or incretin-based therapies with lifestyle changes is linked to lower body fat, better blood sugar levels, smaller waist size, and reduced blood pressure.
Weight loss treatments that target GLP-1 receptors may cause a loss of muscle mass, and structured exercise may help prevent this loss, but existing studies vary too much to confirm this effect reliably.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.