Comparison 1. Body mass index (BMI): pharmacological interventions versus comparators.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Change in BMI (all trials)	16	1884	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
2 Change in BMI (drug type)	16	1884	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
2.1 Metformin	8	543	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.35 [0.00, ‐0.69]
2.2 Orlistat	3	773	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.79 [‐1.08, ‐0.51]
2.3 Sibutramine	5	568	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.70 [‐2.89, ‐0.51]
3 Change in BMI (dropout rate)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
3.1 Dropouts < 20%	9	597	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.11 [‐1.78, ‐0.44]
3.2 Dropouts ≥ 20%	6	1145	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.42 [‐2.34, ‐0.50]
3.3 Unclear dropout rate	1	120	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.73 [‐3.74, ‐1.72]
4 Change in BMI (intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
4.1 No ITT	5	282	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.56 [‐2.52, ‐0.60]
4.2 ITT used	11	1580	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.25 [‐1.86, ‐0.65]
5 Change in BMI (funding)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
5.1 Commercial	5	1009	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.50 [‐2.69, ‐0.31]
5.2 Noncommercial	5	271	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.10 [‐1.77, ‐0.44]
5.3 Commercial + noncommercial	4	262	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.17 [‐1.86, ‐0.47]
5.4 Unclear	2	320	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.79 [‐3.54, ‐0.04]
6 Change in BMI (publication date)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
6.1 2007 or before	8	1163	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.41 [‐2.21, ‐0.60]
6.2 After 2007	8	699	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.26 [‐1.90, ‐0.62]
7 Change in BMI (quality of trial)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
7.1 Low	6	322	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.40 [‐2.28, ‐0.52]
7.2 Moderate	10	1540	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.31 [‐1.95, ‐0.67]
8 Change in BMI (country)	16	1862	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
8.1 Middle income	3	216	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.39 [‐3.08, ‐1.69]
8.2 High income	13	1646	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.09 [‐1.62, ‐0.56]
9 Change in BMI (mean age)	16	1884	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.34 [‐1.85, ‐0.83]
9.1 Mean age < 12 years	2	220	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.93 [‐3.53, ‐0.34]
9.2 Mean age ≥ 12 years	14	1664	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.25 [‐1.79, ‐0.71]