A retrospective real-world study on semaglutide effectiveness in patients with obesity: differences between patients with and without food craving
4 affiliations
- 1IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Obesity Unit and Laboratory of Nutrition and Obesity Research, Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Milan, Italy
- 2International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status and the Development of Dietary Intervention Strategies (ICANS‐DIS), Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- 3Postgraduate School of Clinical Nutrition, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- 4IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Clinical Nutrition Unit, Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Medicine, Milan, Italy
Abstract
Background: Food craving (FC) is an established predictor of obesity. However, its role in weight management is insufficiently addressed in routine clinical practice.
Methods: This retrospective study included adults with obesity, stratified by FC status, to compare the effectiveness of semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet (semaglutide group) versus hypocaloric diet alone (control group) in reducing body weight (BW). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T6). The primary outcome was the between-group comparison of changes in BW from baseline at T3 and T6, also stratified by FC status. Secondary outcomes included changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).
Results: 120 patients with obesity (mean age ± SD: 51.0 ± 15.9 years; 70% female) were included. Of these, 67 (56%) received semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet and 53 (44%) diet alone. FC was present in 53% of patients and was more frequent in women and younger individuals. BW, BMI, and WC significantly decreased in both semaglutide and control group over time (all p <0.0001). However, at 6 months, semaglutide group achieved greater reductions in BW (-3.3 kg; p=0.0004), BMI (-1.8 kg/m2; p=0.0015), and WC (-2.3 cm; p=0.03) compared with controls. Differences in BW reduction were maintained across patients with FC (-3.1 kg, p=0.03) and without FC (-3.4 kg; p=0.007).
Conclusion: Semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet treatment is more effective than hypocaloric diet alone for weight reduction in real-world clinical practice, even in the presence of FC. Assessing FC may support more individualized obesity management strategies.
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BibTeX
@article{bertoli2026retrospective,
title = {{A retrospective real-world study on semaglutide effectiveness in patients with obesity: differences between patients with and without food craving}},
author = {Simona Bertoli and Federica Barbera and Chiara Cappellini and Alice Gotti and Alberto Battezzati},
journal = {Frontiers in Endocrinology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fendo.2026.1927180},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1927180},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A retrospective real-world study on semaglutide effectiveness in patients with obesity: differences between patients with and without food craving
AU - Simona Bertoli
AU - Federica Barbera
AU - Chiara Cappellini
AU - Alice Gotti
AU - Alberto Battezzati
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Frontiers in Endocrinology
DO - 10.3389/fendo.2026.1927180
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1927180
AB - Background: Food craving (FC) is an established predictor of obesity. However, its role in weight management is insufficiently addressed in routine clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective study included adults with obesity, stratified by FC status, to compare the effectiveness of semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet (semaglutide group) versus hypocaloric diet alone (control group) in reducing body weight (BW). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T6). The primary outcome was the between-group comparison of changes in BW from baseline at T3 and T6, also stratified by FC status. Secondary outcomes included changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Results: 120 patients with obesity (mean age ± SD: 51.0 ± 15.9 years; 70% female) were included. Of these, 67 (56%) received semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet and 53 (44%) diet alone. FC was present in 53% of patients and was more frequent in women and younger individuals. BW, BMI, and WC significantly decreased in both semaglutide and control group over time (all p <0.0001). However, at 6 months, semaglutide group achieved greater reductions in BW (-3.3 kg; p=0.0004), BMI (-1.8 kg/m2; p=0.0015), and WC (-2.3 cm; p=0.03) compared with controls. Differences in BW reduction were maintained across patients with FC (-3.1 kg, p=0.03) and without FC (-3.4 kg; p=0.007). Conclusion: Semaglutide plus hypocaloric diet treatment is more effective than hypocaloric diet alone for weight reduction in real-world clinical practice, even in the presence of FC. Assessing FC may support more individualized obesity management strategies.
SN - 1664-2392
ER -