Research
Mixed
Among FDA-approved pharmacological treatments for obesity, phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide are associated with the highest probability of achieving at least 5% weight loss at 52 weeks compared to placebo.
If you are considering medication for obesity, phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide currently offer the highest likelihood of losing at least 5% of your body weight within a year compared to other approved options. Be aware that these same medications also carry a higher risk of stopping treatment due to side effects.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide were associated with the highest odds of achieving at least 5% weight loss.
Why this rating
High-quality network meta-analysis of 28 RCTs, though limited by high attrition rates (30-45%).
Source
Association of Pharmacological Treatments for Obesity With Weight Loss and Adverse Events
Rohan Khera et al. · JAMA · 2016
DOI 10.1001/jama.2016.7602
Meta-analysis · 28 studiesCited 849×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Liraglutide is associated with the second-highest probability of achieving ≥5% weight loss but carries the highest odds of discontinuation due to adverse events among the studied agents.Good
- Orlistat is associated with the lowest probability of achieving ≥5% weight loss and the lowest magnitude of excess weight loss among the five FDA-approved agents studied.Good
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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