What the trials measured
Saxenda was tested in the SCALE programme. These are the published results — the trials report totals at the end of 56 weeks rather than month-by-month figures.
- Who took part:
- 3,731 adults with obesity, or overweight with weight-related conditions
- How long:
- 56 weeks
- Compared with:
- Placebo
- Average weight loss:
- 8.0% (placebo 2.6%)
- Lost at least 5%:
- 63% of participants (placebo 27%)
- Who took part:
- Adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes
- How long:
- 56 weeks
- Average weight loss:
- 6.0% at the 3.0 mg dose
- Worth knowing:
- Lower than in participants without diabetes, which is the pattern seen across the GLP-1 class
What the averages look like in pounds
Averages from trial data. Individual results vary, but these give you a realistic picture of what to expect.
| Time | % of body weight | 200 lb person | 250 lb person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56 weeks | 8.0% average | ~16 lbs | ~20 lbs |
| 56 weeks, with type 2 diabetes | 6.0% average | ~12 lbs | ~15 lbs |
The four phases of the year
Knowing where you are in the arc helps you manage expectations — and stops you from panicking when the scale stalls.
Dose escalation
- The dose is escalated from 0.6 mg to 3.0 mg over the first four weeks
- The starting dose exists so your body can adjust — it is not the treatment dose
- Nausea was the most commonly reported side effect in trials, at about 4 in 10 participants
- This is not the window to judge whether the drug is working
Effects become visible
- Trial data puts the first visible effects at 4–8 weeks
- The full 3.0 mg daily dose has usually been reached by this point
- Appetite reduction is the mechanism — smaller portions start to feel like enough
Toward maximum benefit
- Maximum benefit was typically reached by 56 weeks in the SCALE trials
- Average total loss at that point was 8.0% of starting body weight
- Flat weeks are part of the pattern rather than a sign the drug has stopped working
Staying on treatment
- Obesity is treated as a long-term condition — the effect lasts while treatment continues
- Weight regain after stopping is expected, as with other GLP-1 drugs
- No large randomised withdrawal study has been published for the obesity indication
The first month: managing expectations
Why the first four weeks are about the dose
Saxenda starts at 0.6 mg and is escalated to 3.0 mg over four weeks. The starting dose is a tolerance step rather than a treatment dose, so the scale often barely moves in that window.
Trial data puts the first visible effects at 4–8 weeks, with maximum benefit typically reached by 56 weeks. If little is happening at week three, that is the expected pattern rather than a failure.
What happens if you stop
The effect lasts while treatment continues
Weight regain after stopping is expected, as with other GLP-1 drugs. No large randomised withdrawal study has been published for the obesity indication, so there is no trial figure for how much weight comes back or how quickly. Any decision to stop is one to make with your prescriber rather than on your own.
Common questions
Written and maintained by one person · Built with agentic AI tools · Every number checked against the cited trial · Not medical advice
Clinical trial data for Liraglutide
Weight loss figures on this page come from the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial (3,731 adults, 56 weeks, NEJM 2015) and the SCALE Diabetes trial (56 weeks, JAMA 2015). Pound conversions are calculated from the trial percentages at 200 lb and 250 lb starting weights.
- SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes — Liraglutide: 3,731 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, 56 weeks. New England Journal of Medicine, 2015. View source ↗
- SCALE Diabetes — Liraglutide: Adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, 56 weeks. JAMA, 2015. View source ↗
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