Efficacy and Safety of Anti‐Obesity Medications for Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Pooled result · Body weightResult — go to the resultWMD −8.68 kg 95% CI −13.25 to −4.11Authors' conclusion
AOM therapy during the weight-maintenance phase can help prevent weight regain, provide further reductions in body weight and improve cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with overweight or obesity. Gastrointestinal adverse events were more common with AOMs, whereas serious adverse events were not significantly increased.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with overweight or obesity after initial weight loss achieved through lifestyle, dietary, surgical or pharmacological interventions
- Participants
- 4,915 adults12 randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
- Comparison
- Anti-obesity medications vs placebo during weight-maintenance phase
- Outcome
- Body weight
- Follow-up
- Weight-maintenance phase
Methodological detailsfixed-effect or random-effects models, Cochrane RoB 2, GRADE
- Fixed-effect or random-effects models
- Cochrane RoB 2
- GRADE
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
WMD
−8.68 kg
95% CI −13.25 to −4.11
AOMsvs Placebo
WMD −8.68 kg (95% CI −13.25 to −4.11)
Further pooled results
| Outcome | WMD (cm) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Waist circumference | −7.16 (−10.34 to −3.98) | |
| −15−10−505Difference, cm (linear scale) |
| Outcome | WMD (kg/m²) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| BMI | −3.58 (−5.69 to −1.46) | |
| −10−505Difference, kg/m² (linear scale) |
Cardiometabolic outcomes
- Additional benefits for TG, total cholesterol, LDL-C, systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Quality of life
- Available quality-of-life measures favoured AOM treatment
Safety
- Gastrointestinal adverse events more common with anti-obesity medications (AOMs)
- Serious adverse events not significantly increased
- Neuropsychiatric adverse events generally comparable between groups
Original publication
Efficacy and Safety of Anti‐Obesity Medications for Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 9 July 2026. doi:10.
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