Randomised controlled trials
In the trials below, people were assigned at random to take Liraglutide or a dummy pill (placebo). All the weight loss figures are averages: how much body weight fell from the start.
| Trial | Key result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| [1]SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | 8.0% mean weight loss vs. 2.6% placebo. 63.2% achieved ≥5% loss vs. 27.1% placebo. | New England Journal of Medicine 2015 ↗ |
| [2]SCALE Diabetes | 6.0% mean weight loss at 3.0 mg — lower than in non-diabetic participants, consistent with GLP-1 class behaviour. | JAMA 2015 ↗ |
| [3]Network meta-analysis (comparative efficacy) | About 5.4% more weight loss than placebo — less than semaglutide or tirzepatide in indirect comparisons. | PMC 2023 ↗ |
Reported side effects
The rates below come from the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial. View source
| Side effect | Frequency in trial |
|---|---|
| Nausea | 40% |
| Diarrhoea | 21% |
| Constipation | 19% |
| Vomiting | 16% |
Body composition data
No large body composition substudy has been published for liraglutide in obesity. Lean mass loss is assumed to be similar to other GLP-1 drugs: in proportion to the total weight lost.
Heart and metabolic data
The LEADER trial, in type 2 diabetes, showed cardiovascular benefit. In the obesity indication, the SCALE trials showed metabolic improvements, including lower blood pressure and lipids. But no dedicated cardiovascular outcomes trial has been completed for the obesity indication.