Efficacy and safety of semaglutide on weight loss in obese or overweight patients without diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Design
- Meta-analysis · 4567 participants · Mixed 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?
- Unknown[Auto] Harm signal; weight-loss mediation not the relevant question, but consider whether harms relate to rapid weight loss or reduced intake.
- 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; last sentences of abstract] The results were stable and reliable with dose-dependence. Conclusion: Semaglutide indicated a significant weight loss with an acceptable safety for obese or overweight patients without diabetes.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Semaglutide
- 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
- 4567
Study quality details
- Study design
- Meta-analysis
- Sample size
- 4567
- Randomization
- n/a
- Blinding
- not stated
- Comparator
- placebo
- Follow up duration
- not stated
- Outcome type
- mixed
- Replication
- not assessed (auto)
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed (auto)
- Population applicability
- INDIRECT
- Statistical precision
- CI reported: 95% CI: -11
- 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
- None identified
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Independent replication
- unknown
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to explore the weight loss effect and safety of semaglutide as a conventional anti-obesity drug systematically in obese or overweight patients without diabetes. Methods: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of semaglutide in obese or overweight patients without diabetes were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov from database inception until 2 May 2022. Data extraction and quality assessment of studies meeting the inclusion criteria were performed, and statistical analysis was conducted by Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 14. Results: Eight studies involving 4,567 patients were enrolled in the meta-analysis. Compared with placebo, semaglutide induced a significant body weight loss (MD: -10.09%; 95% CI: -11.84 to -8.33; p ˂ 0.00001), elicited a larger reduction in body mass index (MD: -3.71 kg/m2; 95% CI: -4.33 to -3.09; p ˂ 0.00001) and waist circumference (MD: -8.28 cm; 95% CI: -9.51 to -7.04; p ˂ 0.00001), achieved weight loss of more than 5, 10, 15, and 20% with a higher proportion of participants. Semaglutide exhibited a positive effect on blood pressure, C-reactive protein, and lipid profiles, expressed more adverse effects than placebo, mainly gastrointestinal reactions. The results were stable and reliable with dose-dependence. Conclusion: Semaglutide indicated a significant weight loss with an acceptable safety for obese or overweight patients without diabetes.
Where this record came from
| Source | Retrieved | Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| pubmed | Sep 13, 2026 | 36188627 first ingestion |