Reducing BMI below the obesity threshold in adolescents treated with once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg.

Abstract

To examine how improvement in body mass index (BMI) with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, semaglutide, translated to changes in BMI category in a post-hoc analysis of the double-blind, phase 3a randomized controlled STEP TEENS trial (NCT04102189). Adolescents with obesity received once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo, plus lifestyle intervention which comprised counseling in healthy nutrition and a goal of 60 minutes of moderate- to high-intensity physical activity per day. Achievement of an improvement in BMI category and attainment of normal weight or overweight BMI category by week 68 were analyzed using logistic regression models. In the overall population, 44.9% of participants receiving semaglutide achieved normal weight or overweight BMI category versus 12.1% receiving placebo at week 68 (odds ratio: 22.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.6-67.9). The proportion of semaglutide-treated participants in obesity class III decreased from 37.3% to 13.6%, but increased with placebo. The odds ratio for achieving an improvement of ≥1 BMI category was significantly greater with semaglutide versus placebo (23.5; 95% CI: 9.9-55.5); an improvement of ≥1 BMI category was seen in 73.7% of participants receiving semaglutide compared with 19.0% with placebo. Semaglutide was highly effective in reducing BMI category. While on treatment, most trial participants' BMI improved by ≥1 category and > 40% reached a category below the obesity threshold. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.