Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
206,690 studies31 sourcesUpdated 58 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism

Effect of Semaglutide on Thigh Skeletal Muscle Volume, Fat Infiltration and Physical Function in People With Obesity: Secondary Analysis of STEP UP

  • Jøran Hjelmesæth1,2
  • Suhas Bhat3
  • W. Timothy Garvey4
  • Kristoffer Jensen Kolnes5
  • Jennifer Linge6,7
  • Ildiko Lingvay8
  • Niklas Kahr Rasmussen5
  • Julio Rosenstock9
  • Sean Wharton10
10 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Endocrinology, Obesity and Nutrition Vestfold Hospital Trust Tønsberg Norway
  2. 2Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Oslo Oslo Norway
  3. 3Novo Nordisk Global Business Services Bangalore India
  4. 4University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USA
  5. 5Novo Nordisk A/S Søborg Denmark
  6. 6AMRA Medical AB Linköping Sweden
  7. 7Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences Linköping University Linköping Sweden
  8. 8Department of Internal Medicine/Endocrinology and Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas USA
  9. 9University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas USA
  10. 10University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Aims: To assess the effect of semaglutide on body composition and physical function.

Materials and Methods: The phase 3b STEP UP trial randomised adults with body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 to once‐weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 7.2 mg, semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo for 72 weeks. This prespecified secondary analysis assessed changes in MRI body composition and physical function.

Results: Of 1407 participants, 55 with a valid baseline scan were included (semaglutide 7.2 mg, n = 43, 2.4 mg, n = 6 [pooled semaglutide group, n = 49]; placebo, n = 6). Estimated treatment differences (95% confidence intervals; p‐values) for absolute changes in adipose/muscle compartment volumes for the pooled semaglutide versus placebo group, respectively, were: −11.1 L (−16.5 to −5.7; p < 0.0001) for adipose body tissue, −1.5 L (−2.9 to −0.1; p = 0.04) for visceral adipose tissue, −1.7 L (−4.0 to 0.7; p = 0.16) for lean body tissue, −1.1 L (−2.3 to 0.1; p = 0.07) for thigh skeletal muscle volume and −0.92%‐points (−1.41 to −0.42; p = 0.001) for thigh muscle fat infiltration. Similar results were seen for relative changes in adipose/muscle compartment volumes. A sensitivity analysis for the semaglutide 7.2 mg group versus placebo showed similar results. A mean of 13 sit‐to‐stand repetitions in 30 s at baseline, and 15 repetitions at Week 72, was observed in the pooled semaglutide and placebo groups.

Conclusions: Semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention was associated with reductions in adipose tissue volume, skeletal muscle volume and skeletal muscle fat infiltration, with a preserved number of sit‐to‐stand repetitions. Further research to assess the impact of weight loss on skeletal muscle composition and function should be explored in the future.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05646706

Related

  1. Beyond Weight Loss: Effects of Semaglutide on Knee Pain, Physical Function, and Thigh Skeletal Muscle Volume in Obesity-Associated Knee Osteoarthritis.
    Bodla Arvind Kumar, Nithin Sundaresan, Anuragdeep Syal +3
    Journal of orthopaedic case reportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NCFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  2. Skeletal Muscle Mass as a Potential Mediator of the Physical Activity–Left Atrial Function Relationship: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
    Yue Zhong, Kai Li, Lijun Zeng +5
    Journal of clinical medicinePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textCardiovascular medicineEurope PMCCrossref
  3. Age, current self-reported opioid use, and physical function in adults living with chronic low back pain: A secondary analysis of a case-control study
    Taylor L. Taylor, Deanna D. Rumble, Kristen Allen-Watts +8
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Epidemiology & public healthCrossref
  4. Magnetic resonance imaging-based quantitative assessment of fatty infiltration in skeletal muscle and myocardium: a narrative review of technical principles, differences in clinical applications, and future directions.
    Wenzhao Zhang, Ting Xu, Huayan Xu +1
    Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgeryPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textMedical imaging & radiologyEurope PMC
  5. Glutamine and GLS1 are key metabolic checkpoints that Limit T cell Infiltration and Function in HNSCC
    S. M. Decking-Paede, I. Ugele, K. Dettmer +38
    bioRxivPreprintAll rights reservedFull textOncologybioRxiv

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{hjelmesæth2026effect,
  title = {{Effect of Semaglutide on Thigh Skeletal Muscle Volume, Fat Infiltration and Physical Function in People With Obesity: Secondary Analysis of STEP UP}},
  author = {Jøran Hjelmesæth and Suhas Bhat and W. Timothy Garvey and Kristoffer Jensen Kolnes and Jennifer Linge and Ildiko Lingvay and Niklas Kahr Rasmussen and Julio Rosenstock and Sean Wharton},
  journal = {Diabetes, Obesity \& Metabolism},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1111/dom.71323},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.71323},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Effect of Semaglutide on Thigh Skeletal Muscle Volume, Fat Infiltration and Physical Function in People With Obesity: Secondary Analysis of STEP UP
AU  - Jøran Hjelmesæth
AU  - Suhas Bhat
AU  - W. Timothy Garvey
AU  - Kristoffer Jensen Kolnes
AU  - Jennifer Linge
AU  - Ildiko Lingvay
AU  - Niklas Kahr Rasmussen
AU  - Julio Rosenstock
AU  - Sean Wharton
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/20
JO  - Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism
DO  - 10.1111/dom.71323
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.71323
AB  - Aims: To assess the effect of semaglutide on body composition and physical function.  Materials and Methods: The phase 3b STEP UP trial randomised adults with body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 to once‐weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 7.2 mg, semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo for 72 weeks. This prespecified secondary analysis assessed changes in MRI body composition and physical function.  Results: Of 1407 participants, 55 with a valid baseline scan were included (semaglutide 7.2 mg, n = 43, 2.4 mg, n = 6 [pooled semaglutide group, n = 49]; placebo, n = 6). Estimated treatment differences (95% confidence intervals; p‐values) for absolute changes in adipose/muscle compartment volumes for the pooled semaglutide versus placebo group, respectively, were: −11.1 L (−16.5 to −5.7; p < 0.0001) for adipose body tissue, −1.5 L (−2.9 to −0.1; p = 0.04) for visceral adipose tissue, −1.7 L (−4.0 to 0.7; p = 0.16) for lean body tissue, −1.1 L (−2.3 to 0.1; p = 0.07) for thigh skeletal muscle volume and −0.92%‐points (−1.41 to −0.42; p = 0.001) for thigh muscle fat infiltration. Similar results were seen for relative changes in adipose/muscle compartment volumes. A sensitivity analysis for the semaglutide 7.2 mg group versus placebo showed similar results. A mean of 13 sit‐to‐stand repetitions in 30 s at baseline, and 15 repetitions at Week 72, was observed in the pooled semaglutide and placebo groups.  Conclusions: Semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention was associated with reductions in adipose tissue volume, skeletal muscle volume and skeletal muscle fat infiltration, with a preserved number of sit‐to‐stand repetitions. Further research to assess the impact of weight loss on skeletal muscle composition and function should be explored in the future.  Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05646706
SN  - 1462-8902
SN  - 1463-1326
ER  -