The short answer
Semaglutide added to weight loss achieved with a structured lifestyle program. The trial did not test medication as a replacement for that support.
What did participants receive?
STEP 3 enrolled 611 adults with overweight or obesity and no diabetes. Both groups received an initial eight-week low-calorie diet and 30 counseling visits over 68 weeks. Participants also received weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo.
Percent of starting weight
Original chart based on the study. Values are reported group results.
| Group or measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Semaglutide plus support | −16.0% |
| Placebo plus support | −5.7% |
What changed?
Average weight change was −16.0% with semaglutide and −5.7% with placebo. Both groups lost weight; the comparison measured the added effect of semaglutide within this program.
Digestive adverse events occurred in 82.8% versus 63.2%. Those events caused treatment discontinuation in 3.4% versus none in the placebo group.
The useful takeaway
Trial results reflect the whole treatment setting. The amount of counseling here was substantial, and the findings do not establish that a less intensive program would produce identical results. They also cannot isolate which counseling component mattered most.
Sources
Wadden and colleagues, JAMA, 2021. Funded by Novo Nordisk. Read the study.