Weight loss is often accompanied by loss of lean body mass, which can negatively impact physical functioning and/or resting energy expenditure.
Bodyweight loss and body composition changes (fat mass vs lean mass) may differ by age.
A recent study from Tel Aviv University found a drug could help people lose weight effectively no matter how old they are.
The team showed that the obesity drug semaglutide has similar effectiveness across different age groups with regard to weight loss (under 40 years, 40-60 years, and 60 years and over).
Semaglutide was originally developed for and is also used to treat type 2 diabetes.
However, its effects on weight loss led researchers to study its effect on weight loss in people living with obesity but without type 2 diabetes.
In the study, the researchers tested the tolerability and effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on weight loss and body composition according to age.
Adults without type 2 diabetes were assigned to a once-weekly injection of semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo, both plus lifestyle intervention, for 68 weeks.
The team found that change in body weight (%) was greater for semaglutide than for placebo and was consistent across age groups:
40 years and under mean weight loss 15.2% semaglutide group versus 2.3% placebo; 40-60 years 14.6kg semaglutide versus 2.5kg placebo; and 60 years and over 14.7kg semaglutide versus 2.4kg placebo.
When looking at percentage body fat and lean body mass changes, semaglutide was found to have a more pronounced effect in patients aged under 50 years.
The team also found that the safety of semaglutide was generally consistent across age groups. Gut disorders were the most commonly reported adverse events across all age groups.
They say the treatment with semaglutide reduced the percentage of body fat mass and increased the percentage of lean body mass in all subjects, which was more pronounced in those aged under 50 years.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about popular weight loss diet linked to heart disease and cancer, and a new cure for type 2 diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about how to control diabetes-causing gene, and results showing Mediterranean diet could help reduce the diabetes risk by 30%.
The research was conducted by Dr. Dror Dicker et al.
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