What 1961 Adults Did for 68 Weeks in the STEP 1 Trial
Trial Design and Participants
The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2021, enrolled 1961 adults with overweight or obesity and without diabetes, randomised 2:1 to semaglutide or placebo for 68 weeks, both with lifestyle intervention. Most peptides, including semaglutide, are prescription-only medicines in Australia.
Weight Loss Outcomes
The trial found that mean body weight changed by -14.9% with semaglutide against -2.4% with placebo at week 68, a difference of 12.4 percentage points. This indicates a significant difference in weight loss between the two groups.
Response to Treatment
The trial found that a weight reduction of at least 5% was reached by 86.4% in the semaglutide group against 31.5% on placebo, and at least 15% by 50.5% against 4.9%. These numbers show the varying levels of response to the treatment among participants.
Side Effects and Discontinuation
The trial found that gastrointestinal events were the most common side effect and led to discontinuation in 4.5% on semaglutide against 0.8% on placebo. This highlights the need to consider potential side effects when evaluating the use of semaglutide.
Most peptides are prescription-only medicines in Australia. This article reports published research and regulation for general education and is not medical advice. Speak to your doctor.