Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity

The STEP 1 trial represents a watershed moment in the treatment of obesity. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine by Wilding, Batterham, Calanna, and colleagues, this landmark study evaluated once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes.

The large-scale, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled adults with overweight or obesity and measured the effects of once-weekly semaglutide on body weight over an extended treatment period. The study's rigorous design established a high standard of evidence for the results.

The STEP 1 trial demonstrated that once-weekly semaglutide achieves an average 14.9% body weight reduction, a result that was unprecedented for a non-surgical obesity treatment at the time of publication. This dramatic efficacy established a new benchmark in obesity pharmacotherapy.

This trial fundamentally changed the landscape of obesity treatment by demonstrating that pharmacological therapy can achieve meaningful, life-changing weight loss. For millions of people with obesity, the STEP 1 results opened a new chapter of hope and practical treatment options that continue to shape clinical practice today.