Reducing BMI below the obesity threshold in adolescents treated with once‐weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg
Aaron S. Kelly, Silva Arslanian, Dan Hesse, Aske Thorn Iversen, Antje Körner, Signe Schmidt, Rasmus Sørrig, Daniel Weghuber, Ania M. Jastreboff
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine how improvement in 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 Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with obesity (STEP) TEENS trial. METHODS: 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 by week 68 were analyzed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: In the overall population, 44.9% of participants receiving semaglutide achieved weight reduction resulting in reclassification to a normal-weight or overweight BMI category versus 12.1% receiving placebo at week 68 (odds ratio: 22.7; 95% 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 at least one BMI category was significantly greater with semaglutide versus placebo (23.5; 95% CI: 9.9-55.5); an improvement of at least one BMI category was seen in 73.7% of participants receiving semaglutide compared with 19.0% of participants receiving placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Semaglutide was highly effective in reducing BMI category. While on treatment, most trial participants' BMI improved by at least one category, and >40% reached a category below the obesity threshold.