Benefits and Harms of Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Living Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis for the American College of Physicians
Authors' conclusion
Nearly all studied interventions were more effective than placebo and/or LI in reducing weight. Semaglutide and tirzepatide showed the most favorable results across outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m²); RCTs from MEDLINE and Cochrane Central until October 2025
- Participants
- 112,511 adults69 studies
- Comparison
- Pharmacologic weight-management treatments vs placebo and/or LI
- Outcome
- Weight reduction
Methodological detailspairwise and network meta-analyses, 37 studies at low risk of bias, Direct head-to-head comparisons of different treatments were limited
- Pairwise and network meta-analyses
- 37 studies at low risk of bias
- Direct head-to-head comparisons of different treatments were limited
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Nearly all studied interventions were more effective than placebo and/or LI in reducing weight
- Semaglutide and tirzepatide led to the greatest weight loss vs placebo and/or LI in pairwise and network meta-analyses
Further pooled results
- Semaglutide probably reduced mortality and MACE; evidence for mortality and MACE was limited
Safety
- More discontinuations due to adverse events were observed with the interventions
- Evidence for serious adverse events was limited
Original publication
Benefits and Harms of Pharmacologic Treatments in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Living Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis for the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. Published 16 June 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →