Effects of subcutaneous semaglutide on weight loss and inflammatory markers in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Design
- Meta-analysis · 6239 participants · Biomarker outcome
- Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
- Different population[Auto] Synthesis of studies conducted predominantly in people with obesity/overweight.
- Could weight loss explain it?
- Possibly[Auto] Participants had obesity and/or type 2 diabetes and the abstract does not separate direct drug effects from weight loss or glycaemic improvement.
- Study tier
- Study tier 2[Auto] Systematic review/meta-analysis of randomized trials (auto-provisional; heterogeneity and included-study quality not assessed).
- Assessment
- Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 13, 2026
Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.
[Auto, unreviewed; quoted from abstract conclusions] Subcutaneous semaglutide is effective for weight management in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes. The recently published STEP UP trial evaluating semaglutide 7.2 mg provides additional evidence on higher-dose regimens and showed greater weight reduction compared with previously available data, representing a meaningful new contribution to the literature. Longer-term studies are needed to better define the long-term efficacy and safety profile of semaglutide across clinical populations.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Semaglutide
- Dose
- 7.2 mg
- Route
- subcutaneous
- Comparator
- placebo
- Primary outcome
- Not extracted
- Effect
- Not extracted
- 95% confidence interval
- Not extracted
- Follow-up
- Not stated
- Adverse events
- Not extracted
- Limitations
- Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.
Who was studied
- Obesity status
- obesity/overweight present (all or most)
- Diabetes status
- excluded (no diabetes)
- Sample size
- 6239
Study quality details
- Study design
- Meta-analysis
- Sample size
- 6239
- Randomization
- n/a
- Blinding
- not stated
- Comparator
- placebo
- Follow up duration
- not stated
- Outcome type
- biomarker
- Replication
- not assessed (auto)
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed (auto)
- Population applicability
- INDIRECT
- Statistical precision
- CI reported: 95% CI -13
- Risk of bias
- not assessed (auto)
- Funding conflicts
- unclear
- Peer review status
- yes
02Funding
Funding and conflicts
- Funding
- not reported in abstract
- Industry funded
- Unclear
- Manufacturer
- Novo Nordisk, Lilly
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- Competing interests: AM was the recipient of a research fellowship funded by Novo Nordisk at the University of Catania during 2023–2024 and received a one-time honorarium from Novo Nordisk in 2023 for participation as faculty in a one-day educational course. LF has acted as a consultant and speaker for Lilly and Novo-Nordisk and has received a grant from Novo Nordisk. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethics approval and informed consent were not required for this study because it is a systematic review and meta-analysis based exclusively on previously published studies.
- Independent replication
- unknown
- Notes
- Authors declare relationships with the drug's manufacturer: Novo Nordisk
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
[BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES] Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease associated with multiple serious comorbidities. Semaglutide has emerged as an effective pharmacological option for obesity management, owing to its substantial effects on weight loss, cardiometabolic risk factors, and patient-reported outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous semaglutide for weight management in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes. [METHODS] Randomized controlled trials comparing subcutaneous semaglutide with placebo in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Outcomes included changes in body weight, waist circumference, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serious adverse events (SAEs). A quality assessment and meta-analysis were performed using REVMAN 10.1.1 software. [RESULTS] Across nine trials including 6 239 participants, subcutaneous semaglutide significantly reduced percentage body weight from baseline (mean difference [MD] -12.04%, 95% CI -13.08 to -11.00), waist circumference (MD -9.36 cm, 95% CI -10.27 to -8.45), and CRP (MD -40.90%, 95% CI -46.37 to -35.42) versus placebo (all p < 0.00001). The risk of SAEs did not differ significantly between semaglutide and placebo (risk ratio [RR] 1.12, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.65; p = 0.55). [CONCLUSIONS] Subcutaneous semaglutide is effective for weight management in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes. The recently published STEP UP trial evaluating semaglutide 7.2 mg provides additional evidence on higher-dose regimens and showed greater weight reduction compared with previously available data, representing a meaningful new contribution to the literature. Longer-term studies are needed to better define the long-term efficacy and safety profile of semaglutide across clinical populations.