Obesity can Effect Health: Injections that claim to reduce obesity do not prove to be as effective in real life as clinical trials, because patients stop taking them or reduce their dosage.

Injections Claiming to Reduce Obesity: Injections claiming to reduce obesity do not prove to be as effective in real life as clinical trials, because patients either stop taking them or reduce their dosage. This has come to light in a new research conducted in America. Doctors recommend injections including Wegovy and Ozempic to patients suffering from type-2 diabetes, in which components like semaglutide or tirzepatide are helpful in reducing weight as well as controlling blood sugar levels.

What was found in the research?

In a research published in the journal 'Obesity', researchers assessed the effect of anti-obesity injections in real-life weight loss and blood sugar control. Dr. Hamlet Gasoyan, lead researcher and from the Cleveland Clinic in the US, said, "Our research shows that patients who take semaglutide or tirzepatide to control obesity do not lose as much weight in real life as in clinical trials."

He said, “According to our data, in real life, the main reason for this is that patients stop using anti-obesity injections after some time or reduce their dose.”

7,881 adult patients were included in the research

The research included 7,881 adult patients, whose average 'body mass index (BMI)' was above 39, meaning they were suffering from "severe obesity". Under BMI, the amount of body fat is estimated based on the ratio of a person's height and weight.

Of the participants, 1,320 were in the 'pre-diabetes stage' at the start of the research, meaning they were at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. All participants began taking anti-obesity injections containing semaglutide or tirzepatide between 2021 and 2023.

Researchers discovered the effect of blood sugar

The researchers studied the effect of the injection on the participants' weight and blood sugar levels after one year of taking the injection. They found that participants who stopped taking the injection within three months lost 3.6 percent of their weight. On the other hand, participants who stopped taking the injection between three and 12 months lost an average of 6.8 percent of their weight.

The researchers said, "Participants who took the injection for a year were able to lose an average of 8.7 percent of their weight. Participants who stopped the injection early (within three months), stopped late (within three to 12 months) and continued taking it after a year lost an average of 3.6 percent, 6.8 percent and 11.9 percent of their weight respectively."

The research also found that patients who were prescribed higher doses of semaglutide or tirzepatide to control weight and blood sugar levels lost an average of 13.7 per cent and 18 per cent of their weight, respectively.

Stop taking injections within 3 to 12 months

Talking about the participants in the 'pre-diabetes stage', 33 percent of those who stopped taking injections within three months had normal blood sugar levels. Whereas, this figure was 41 percent in those who stopped taking injections within three to 12 months and 67.9 percent in the case of those who continued taking injections.

The research also revealed that more than 20 percent of the participants stopped taking the injection within three months, while 32 percent did so within three to 12 months. According to the researchers, factors such as the cost of the injection, insurance reasons, side effects and shortage of (injections) in the market are among the main reasons for stopping taking them.