Research
Hormonal
Pharmacological weight loss agents (GLP-1 agonists, etc.) should be used as adjuncts to lifestyle changes in older adults only after careful case-by-case assessment of sarcopenia risk and limited clinical data.
If lifestyle changes aren't enough, discuss prescription options like GLP-1 agonists with your doctor. Be aware that data for those over 75 is scarce, and these drugs can affect muscle mass, so they must be paired with strength training and protein intake.
ModerateConditionalMEDIUM confidence
Clinicians should take a personalised approach to treatment by considering patient history and priorities, co-occurring conditions, concomitant medications and the risk of worsening sarcopenia... when deciding on a treatment approach.
Why this rating
Based on prescribing information and limited subgroup data in older adults.
Source
Take a personalised approach to weight management for older adults with obesity
Michael B. Brown · Drugs & Therapy Perspectives · 2026
DOI 10.1007/s40267-025-01213-w
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- For older adults (≥65 years) with obesity, weight reduction is recommended only after careful consideration of risks/benefits and patient priorities, whereas overweight older adults should maintain stable body weight to avoid sarcopenia and functional decline.Good
- Bariatric surgery in older adults (≥65 years) is associated with significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality and complications compared to younger adults, and should be reserved for refractory cases.Good
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