New research on treating obesity through medical and behavioural intervention

Unfortunately, obesity is persistent and commonplace in today's society, resulting in global morbidity and mortality. Numerous medications have been studied to treat it, four of which shall be discussed in this article, followed by a section on the importance of behavioural intervention.

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published the results of a study examining the efficacy of tirzepatide—a novel glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (Jastrehoff et al, 2022). The trial was phase 3, double-blinded, randomised and controlled, with 2539 assigned adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or more, and at least one weight-related complication, excluding diabetes. The participants were assigned in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive once-weekly, subcutaneous tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg) or a placebo for 72 weeks, including a 20-week dose-escalation period. The researchers compared the percentage change in weight from baseline and examined to see if there was a weight reduction of 5% or more.