Research
Adherence
Early weight loss (≥5%) within 12-16 weeks is the only consistent predictor of long-term efficacy for obesity pharmacotherapy in polygenic obesity, justifying the discontinuation of ineffective medications.
When starting a new obesity medication, expect to be evaluated at 12-16 weeks. If you haven't lost at least 5% of your body weight by then, your doctor will likely stop the medication. This is not a failure on your part, but a standard safety and efficacy check to switch to a different treatment.
StrongQualifiesHIGH confidence
Early treatment response (weight loss at 16 weeks) is the only factor consistently associated with longer-term weight outcome [43, 44], hence regulatory authorities recommend stopping most obesity medications if less than 5% weight loss has been achieved after 12-16 weeks, but this does not assist with the initial choice of medication.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies cited as consistently associating early response with long-term outcome.
Source
Individualised prescription of medications for treatment of obesity in adults
Samantha Hocking et al. · Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders · 2023
narrative_reviewCited 13×
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