Read a result without making it a promise
What a trial result can tell you
Keep this in mind
Start with the study’s people and comparison, then read its result and the time it took.
Study results checked September 26, 2026.
Read the weight-loss result with its context
STEP 1 enrolled adults without diabetes. Participants were living with obesity, or with both overweight and a health problem related to weight. The original trial paper
- Semaglutide group
Average weight loss at 68 weeks was 14.9% with semaglutide.
- Comparison group
Over the same 68 weeks, average loss was 2.4% with a dummy injection, called a placebo.
Both groups received counseling about eating and physical activity. The study involved regular visits and was funded by the medicine’s maker.
Those averages leave room for very different individual results.
Keep this in mind
Ask how closely a study resembles your situation. A trial result does not tell the person treating you everything needed to decide on your care.
What happened after treatment stopped?
In the STEP 1 extension, involving 327 participants, the semaglutide group regained about two-thirds of its prior weight loss in the year after treatment stopped. The follow-up paper
That finding does not decide how long any individual needs treatment; it gives the consultation a question about the longer-term plan.
Make notes about continuing care →