New research looked at many STEP studies and found that semaglutide, the medicine in Wegovy and Ozempic, works well for people older than 65 who have obesity. The drug helped them lose a lot of weight and improved several health numbers, just like it did for younger participants.
Study Background
Professor Luca Busetto and his team, together with scientists from Novo Nordisk, led the analysis. Older adults with obesity often have other health problems, making treatment risky. There is still little data on how GLP‑1 drugs such as semaglutide affect this age group.
Who Took Part?
The researchers examined data from STEP 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9. They only included people who were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes. Participants were at least 65 years old, had a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher (or 27 kg/m² with an obesity‑related issue), and were randomly given either semaglutide 2.4 mg once a week or a placebo. All also received lifestyle advice; the STEP 3 group got extra counseling.
What Was Measured?
Over 68 weeks the scientists checked body weight, waist size, waist‑to‑height ratio, BMI categories, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood fats, blood sugar and inflammation markers. They also recorded any side effects.
Weight Loss Results
Out of 4,523 total participants, 358 were 65 or older. Of these, 248 took semaglutide and 110 received placebo. Most were between 65‑74 years; the rest were 75 or older.
At the start, the average age was 69 years, weight was 99 kg, BMI was 36.6 kg/m² and waist circumference was 115 cm. After 68 weeks, the semaglutide group lost about 15.4 % of their weight, while the placebo group lost 5.1 %.
Big weight‑loss milestones were far more common with the drug:
- ≥10 % loss: 66.5 % vs 15.5 %
- ≥15 % loss: 46.8 % vs 6.4 %
- ≥20 % loss: 28.6 % vs 2.7 %
Improvements in Body Measurements
More people on semaglutide reached a healthy waist‑to‑height ratio (<0.53) – 11.3 % versus 4.5 % on placebo. A healthy BMI (<27 kg/m²) was achieved by 27 % of the drug group compared with 5.5 % of the placebo group.
Overall, participants moved into better weight categories and many reduced both BMI and waist‑to‑height ratio at the same time.
Better Heart‑Related Health
The drug also lowered blood pressure, improved cholesterol, reduced bad blood fats and helped control blood sugar (HbA1c). These changes lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Safety and Side Effects
About 89 % of the semaglutide group reported any side effect, similar to 84 % in the placebo group. Serious side effects were a bit higher with the drug (19 % vs 12.7 %). Common issues included constipation and dizziness. Fractures and low blood sugar were rare (<1 % in each group).
Dr. Busetto says the findings show semaglutide can safely cut weight and improve heart health for seniors, supporting its use in this growing population.