A secondary analysis of the STEP TEENS trial, published in the journal Obesity and presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2023, highlights semaglutide’s effectiveness in treating adolescent obesity. Approximately 45% of participants treated with semaglutide lost enough weight to fall below the clinical cutoff for obesity, while 74% moved down at least one BMI category over 68 weeks. The original trial included 201 adolescents with high BMIs, assigned to either semaglutide or placebo alongside lifestyle counseling. Results demonstrated significant improvements in BMI among those receiving semaglutide compared to the placebo group, particularly in reducing severe obesity.
Dr. Aaron S. Kelly, the study’s lead author, emphasized the treatment’s clinical significance, noting that semaglutide has historically unprecedented results in adolescent weight management compared to other treatments excluding bariatric surgery. At baseline, participants had a mean body weight of 107.5 kg and a mean BMI of 37.0 kg/m². By week 68, 74% of semaglutide recipients improved their BMI category, with 45% experiencing a reduction to a non-obese classification, underscoring semaglutide’s potential as a robust intervention for adolescent obesity.
