Persistence With GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy Remains Low Among Those With Overweight, Obesity

THURSDAY, March 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Less than 25 percent of adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes remain on any glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) treatment after 12 months, according to a research letter published online March 10 in JAMA Network Open.Luyu Xie, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine switching patterns and 12-month adherence and persistence among adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes. The study included 126,984 patients initiating GLP-1 RA therapy (54.5, 34.0, and 11.5 percent with class I to II obesity, class III obesity, and overweight, respectively).The researchers found that 20.6 percent of patients followed a switcher trajectory within the 12-month follow-up, transitioning between agents. Across the entire cohort, 12-month persistence was 24.5 percent. Higher persistence was seen for switchers (36.4 percent versus 21.4 percent for nonswitchers), as well as higher adherence (mean proportion of days covered, 63.0 versus 52.0 percent). Overall, 33.3 and 28.6 percent of switchers and nonswitchers, respectively, had optimal adherence. Among those who switched therapies, the most common initial transition was from liraglutide to semaglutide (24.4 percent). Most switchers changed medications only once (92.7 percent), while a small minority underwent multiple switches (7.3 percent)."Switching between GLP-1 RA medications should be viewed as a normal part of long-term obesity care," senior author Sarah Messiah, Ph.D., M.P.H., also from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said in a statement. "Persistence should not be judged by staying on a single drug indefinitely, but by maintaining engagement in care and working with clinicians to find sustainable, effective treatment strategies over time."One author disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical and nutrition industries.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Persistence With GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy Remains Low Among Those With Overweight, Obesity

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