Effect of Semaglutide on Regression and Progression of Glycemia in People With Overweight or Obesity but Without Diabetes in the SELECT Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether semaglutide slows progression of glycemia in people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity but without diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind trial, participants aged ≥45 years, with BMI ≥27 kg/m2, and with preexisting cardiovascular disease but without diabetes (HbA1c <6.5%) were randomized to receive subcutaneous semaglutide (2.4 mg weekly) or placebo. Major glycemic outcomes were HbA1c and proportions achieving biochemical normoglycemia (HbA1c <5.7%) and progressing to biochemical diabetes (HbA1c ≥6.5%). RESULTS: Of 17,604 participants, 8,803 were assigned to semaglutide and 8,801 to placebo. Mean ± SD intervention exposure was 152 ± 56 weeks and follow-up 176 ± 40 weeks. In both treatment arms mean nadir HbA1c for participants was at 20 weeks. Thereafter, HbA1c increased similarly in both arms, with a mean difference of -0.32 percentage points (95% CI -0.33 to -0.30; -3.49 mmol/mol [-3.66 to -3.32]) and with the difference favoring semaglutide throughout the study (P < 0.0001). Body weight plateaued at 65 weeks and was 8.9% lower with semaglutide. At week 156, a greater proportion treated with semaglutide were normoglycemic (69.5% vs. 35.8%; P < 0.0001) and a smaller proportion had biochemical diabetes by week 156 (1.5% vs. 6.9%; P < 0.0001). The number needed to treat was 18.5 to prevent a case of diabetes. Both regression and progression were dependent on glycemia at baseline, with the magnitude of weight reduction important in mediating 24.5% of progression and 27.1% of regression. CONCLUSIONS: In people with preexisting cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity but without diabetes, long-term semaglutide increases regression to biochemical normoglycemia and reduces progression to biochemical diabetes but does not slow glycemic progression over time.

Characteristics and Weight Loss Practices From a Cohort of 20,000 Patients Using Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth: Observational Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing prevalence of obesity, the use of pharmacotherapy treatment remains low. Telehealth platforms have the potential to facilitate access to pharmacotherapy interventions, but little is known about telehealth patients. OBJECTIVE: This study describes a large patient population taking Plenity, an oral superabsorbent hydrogel (OSH) used in the treatment of excess weight or obesity (BMI 25-40 kg/m2). The analysis compared differences in weight loss practices and in-person access to obesity care among telehealth patients with preobesity and obesity. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional assessment of a random sample of 20,000 telehealth patients who completed a structured, web-based visit and received at least one prescription of OSH. Patients were eligible to receive care via telehealth if they were adults, were not pregnant, and had a BMI ≥25 kg/m2. During the visit, patients provided baseline health information including comorbidities, diet, and exercise habits. Their zip code of residence was used to determine their proximity to an obesity medicine provider. Descriptive statistical analysis and tests of differences (chi-square and 2-tailed t tests) were used to compare patients with preobesity (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI 30-40 kg/m2). RESULTS: Most (15,576/20,000, 77.88%) of the cohort were female, with a mean age of 44 (SD 11) years and a mean BMI of 32.4 (SD 4.1) kg/m2. Among the cohort, 32.13% (6426/20,000) had preobesity, and 40.18% (8036/20,000) of all patients had ≥1 weight-related comorbidity. Almost all (19,732/20,000, 98.66%) patients attempted 1 weight loss method before OSH and half (10,067/20,000, 50.34%) tried ≥4 different methods. Exercise and low-calorie diets were the most attempted weight loss methods, and 28.76% (5752/20,000) of patients reported a prior prescription of weight loss medication. Patients with obesity were more likely than patients with preobesity to have previously tried commercial weight loss plans (7294/13,574, 53.74% vs 2791/6426, 43.43%; P<.001), specialized diets (8493/13,574, 62.57% vs 3799/6426, 59.12%; P<.001), over-the-counter supplements (6807/13,574, 50.15% vs 2876/6426, 44.76%; P<.001), and prescription weight loss medications (4407/13,574, 32.47% vs 1345/6426, 20.93%; P<.001). Females were more likely to seek treatment for preobesity (5332/15,576, 34.23% vs 1094/4424, 24.73% male; P<.001) and reported fewer comorbidities (5992/15,576, 38.47% vs 2044/4424, 46.2% male; P<.001), despite >90% of both sexes reporting the belief that excess weight negatively affected their health (14,247/15,576, 91.47% female participants, 4116/4424, 93.04% male participants). Moreover, 29.25% (5850/20,000) of patients lived in the same zip code and 85.15% (17,030/20,000) lived in the same county as an obesity medicine provider. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this large patient cohort supports the potential for telehealth to provide prescriptive weight management treatment to a population seeking care. Patients with preobesity are an undertreated population who actively seek new weight management options. Female participants sought weight management treatment earlier in the disease continuum than males, despite reporting fewer comorbidities.

Answers to Clinical Questions in the Primary Care Management of People with Obesity: Lifestyle Management.

Lifestyle modification is not a short-term endeavor, and maintaining a healthy weight requires sustained changes in dietary and physical activity. Intensive behavioral intervention can help modify deep-rooted behaviors and provide the support required to both initiate and maintain the behavioral changes that are needed to achieve weight loss goals.

Answers to Clinical Questions in the Primary Care Management of People with Obesity: Bariatric Surgery.

The role of bariatric surgery in the management of patients with obesity is expanding owing to the amount of data that are accumulating; these data demonstrate significant short- and long-term health benefits, including control or remission of obesity-related complications, as well as acceptable long-term safety.

Answers to Clinical Questions in the Primary Care Management of People with Obesity: Practice Redesign and Reimbursement.

Determining what treatment options the patient's insurance will cover and considering the patient's out-of-pocket costs are important actions to be taken while collaborating with the patient and other team members and during the development and implementation of the treatment plan. Reimbursement is available to PCPs for some obesity-related services.

Answers to Clinical Questions in the Primary Care Management of People with Obesity: Priniciples of Patient Management.

Although improvement of physical appearance is a primary motivating factor for patients, the fundamental purpose of weight loss is to improve health. Patients should be managed in the context of a chronic disease, taking a systematic approach to treatment. Lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of weight management.