A new study published in The Lancet shows that a combination of GLP-1 drugs and exercise may be the secret to long-term weight management.

People have long searched for sustainable ways to manage their weight. It’s well-known that many diets fail due to weight cycling, which is often referred to as “yo-yo dieting.” This describes the pattern of losing weight, regaining it, and then dieting again to lose weight, in a repeating cycle. (1)

With more GLP-1 drugs being used for weight-loss purposes, there are also growing concerns about potential weight regain after coming off these medications.

This new study addresses a potential solution to these ongoing concerns.

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What are the key findings of the study?

In the study, 166 adults with obesity went through an eight-week low-calorie diet induced weight loss of 13.1 kg (around 28.8 pounds) and then were randomly allocated to a one-year weight loss maintenance program using either: 

1. A supervised exercise program
2. A GLP-1 drug called liraglutide 
3. A combination of exercise and liraglutide
4. A placebo

All randomized participants were invited to participate in the post-treatment study with outcome assessments one year after treatment termination.

Of the 109 adults who participated in this portion, they found that the participants who had supervised exercise and liraglutide were more likely to have maintained a weight loss of at least 10% of initial body weight one year after treatment termination. 

Also notable: After stopping the treatments, participants who had been on liraglutide alone regained more weight (an average of around 13 pounds), compared to those who had the combination treatment or supervised exercise alone.

According to the study: 

“All available evidence shows that weight loss obtained with obesity pharmacotherapy is challenging to maintain after termination of treatment. Supervised exercise together with obesity pharmacotherapy holds more potential for preventing body weight and fat mass regain after treatment termination compared with obesity pharmacotherapy without supervised exercise.”

So what are the implications of these results? 

The implications of this study 

Here are some of the most important takeaways from this study: 

• Long term > short term. When searching for weight loss solutions, many people turn to ‘shortcuts,’ such as medications and fad diets, to help them shed pounds quickly. This study demonstrates the importance of focusing on long-term behavioral change over short-term fixes to meet weight management goals.

• Exercise should be the first step. It’s well-known that exercise has a positive effect on weight loss, in addition to benefits like improved brain health, reduced risk of disease, and stronger bones and muscles. (2) But given that exercise alone led to better outcomes than medication alone, it tells us that physical activity should be the first line of defense for weight loss-related treatments — especially for patients who may not be well suited for GLP-1 drugs for any reason. 

• Holistic, comprehensive care is critical. Finally, this study reinforces the importance of taking a holistic, comprehensive approach to care — one that examines how medicine can be combined with other practices, such as exercise, healthy diets, and supplements, to maximize the impact of certain treatments. 

Hopefully, there will be more studies like this in the future, that demonstrate the long-term effects of comprehensive treatment plans in addressing chronic conditions. 

Key Takeaways

• A new study in The Lancet examines the effects of GLP-1 drugs and exercise on long-term weight management. 
• The results show that a combination of GLP-1 drugs and exercise is the most effective treatment for keeping weight off. 
• This study demonstrates the importance of taking a more holistic, comprehensive approach to health.