Research
Hormonal
GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide) and bariatric surgery (RYGB) extend the duration of weight loss prior to plateau by weakening the physiological appetite feedback control circuit, whereas diet restriction fails to weaken this circuit and thus plateaus within ~12 months.
If you are using GLP-1s or had surgery, your prolonged weight loss is due to a physiological change in how your body regulates appetite, not just willpower. Dieting alone triggers a strong appetite feedback loop that causes early plateaus; these interventions bypass that loop.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Preliminary results suggest that, unlike diet restriction, semaglutide, tirzepatide, and RYGB weaken the appetite feedback control circuit by ~40–70% thereby resulting in an extended period of weight loss prior to the plateau.
Why this rating
Based on mathematical modeling of published trial data, not a new primary clinical trial.
Source
Physiology of the weight‐loss plateau in response to diet restriction, <scp>GLP‐1</scp> receptor agonism, and bariatric surgery
Kevin D. Hall · Obesity · 2024
DOI 10.1002/oby.24027
mechanism_onlyCited 32×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Hormonal
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