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2026, Vol: 10, Issue: 1
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Review Article
Online Published: 06 Jan 2026
 


The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hosam Hadi Awaji, Raghad Rasheed Alrasheed, Abdulrahman Yahya Alfifa, Mohammed Musallam Albalawi, Munif Mania Almutairi, Osama Mohammed Alalmaei, Sultan Abdulaziz Alsallal, Leena Mohammed Almobty, Taif Jamiel Albalawi, Ahmed Mohammed Alzain.


Abstract
Obesity is a public health concern that contributed to the development of major diseases, emphasizing the need for novel drugs to aid in weight management. One example is semaglutide, a GLP-1 analog. This review aimed to assess the efficacy of Semaglutide on body weight and BMI in non-diabetic overweight or obese people. The current review examined PubMed/Medline, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Scopus for randomized clinical trials (RCT) studies. The efficacy was measured in terms of changes in body weight and BMI. The revised Cochrane ROB technique was used to assess the risk of bias (ROB). Seven suitable RCTs with 4816 overweight people were reviewed. The random-effects pooled prevalence of change in body weight was -10.13 kg (95% CI: -12.32 to -7.93, p<0.001), and the change in BMI was -3.89 kg/m² (95% CI: -4.45 to -3.33; p<0.00001). The overall risk of bias was moderate, as most research indicated a low risk of bias in important domains, but some raised issues about allocation concealment and blinding, with two studies indicating a significant risk of bias, particularly in other domains. The findings indicated that semaglutide considerably improved patient outcomes. It caused significant and long-term weight loss in overweight or obese non-diabetic people.

Key words: GLP-1 receptor agonist, obesity, efficacy, RCTs, systematic review.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Awaji HH, Alrasheed RR, Alfifa AY, Albalawi MM, Almutairi MM, Alalmaei OM, Alsallal SA, Almobty LM, Albalawi TJ, Alzain AM. The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. 2026; 10(1): 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744

Web Style

Awaji HH, Alrasheed RR, Alfifa AY, Albalawi MM, Almutairi MM, Alalmaei OM, Alsallal SA, Almobty LM, Albalawi TJ, Alzain AM. The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=302907 [Access: January 25, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Awaji HH, Alrasheed RR, Alfifa AY, Albalawi MM, Almutairi MM, Alalmaei OM, Alsallal SA, Almobty LM, Albalawi TJ, Alzain AM. The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. 2026; 10(1): 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Awaji HH, Alrasheed RR, Alfifa AY, Albalawi MM, Almutairi MM, Alalmaei OM, Alsallal SA, Almobty LM, Albalawi TJ, Alzain AM. The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. (2026), [cited January 25, 2026]; 10(1): 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


Harvard Style

Awaji, H. H., Alrasheed, . R. R., Alfifa, . A. Y., Albalawi, . M. M., Almutairi, . M. M., Alalmaei, . O. M., Alsallal, . S. A., Almobty, . L. M., Albalawi, . T. J. & Alzain, . A. M. (2026) The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC, 10 (1), 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


Turabian Style

Awaji, Hosam Hadi, Raghad Rasheed Alrasheed, Abdulrahman Yahya Alfifa, Mohammed Musallam Albalawi, Munif Mania Almutairi, Osama Mohammed Alalmaei, Sultan Abdulaziz Alsallal, Leena Mohammed Almobty, Taif Jamiel Albalawi, and Ahmed Mohammed Alzain. 2026. The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (1), 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


Chicago Style

Awaji, Hosam Hadi, Raghad Rasheed Alrasheed, Abdulrahman Yahya Alfifa, Mohammed Musallam Albalawi, Munif Mania Almutairi, Osama Mohammed Alalmaei, Sultan Abdulaziz Alsallal, Leena Mohammed Almobty, Taif Jamiel Albalawi, and Ahmed Mohammed Alzain. "The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10 (2026), 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Awaji, Hosam Hadi, Raghad Rasheed Alrasheed, Abdulrahman Yahya Alfifa, Mohammed Musallam Albalawi, Munif Mania Almutairi, Osama Mohammed Alalmaei, Sultan Abdulaziz Alsallal, Leena Mohammed Almobty, Taif Jamiel Albalawi, and Ahmed Mohammed Alzain. "The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10.1 (2026), 424-432. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Awaji, H. H., Alrasheed, . R. R., Alfifa, . A. Y., Albalawi, . M. M., Almutairi, . M. M., Alalmaei, . O. M., Alsallal, . S. A., Almobty, . L. M., Albalawi, . T. J. & Alzain, . A. M. (2026) The impact of semaglutide in body weight reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (1), 424-432. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1765515744




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