Study finds GLP-1 obesity drugs reduce daily activity

A new study presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago has found that adults with obesity who begin treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonist medications for weight loss show a significant decrease in their physical activity levels. The research, which analyzed objective data from wearable fitness trackers, challenges the common assumption that weight loss naturally leads to increased movement and underscores the need for clinicians to actively prescribe exercise alongside these popular drugs.

The study, led by Dr. Sajana Maharjan of HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, utilized data from the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program. This program links electronic health records with activity data from devices like Fitbits. Researchers analyzed 753 adults with obesity, predominantly women with an average age of 52.7 years, who had begun GLP-1 therapy. The medications included agents such as semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, and tirzepatide.

The analysis compared physical activity levels before and after starting the medication. The results showed a clear decline: average daily step counts fell from 5,047 steps to 4,487 steps, a...