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. 2023 Mar 2;16:575–595. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S387116

Table 3.

Characteristics for All RCTs Studies Included in This Systematic Review

Author Country Study Design Number of Participants Age Intervention Type of GLP-1 Placebo Duration Outcomes Statistical Significance Tool
GLP-1 (Liraglutide)
1 Saxena et al | 202124 United State RCT, double-blind, two-arm, parallel-group. 56 adults with obesity (28, 26). 18–75 years old. Liraglutide (Saxenda®, initiated at a dose of 0.6 mg/day and escalated by 0.6 mg/week up to a maximum of 3.0 mg/day). Liraglutide Placebo (0.9% w/v sodium chloride). 6 weeks Appetite and gastric emptying. Appetite: significant differences in appetite (indicating decreased appetite) at weeks 3 and 6, in prospective food consumption in 30-min postprandial at weeks 3 and 6, and for hunger at week 3 only.
Gastric emptying: Liraglutide caused a significant delay in gastric emptying when administered over six weeks. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups at week 6 (1 hour, p = 0.0348; 5 hours, p = 0.0152).
100-m VAS + acetaminophen absorption.
2 Kadouh et al | 202017 United States Single-center, double-blind, parallel group, RCT. 35 adults with obesity, in 2 groups (17, 18). 18–65 years old. Liraglutide 3.0mg (escalated by 0.6 mg per week to a maintenance dose of 3.0 mg SQ daily). Liraglutide Placebo.
No mention regarding the type of placebo.
16 weeks. Appetite and taste. Appetite: Liraglutide group was reported more fullness (P = 0.02) and lower prospective food consumption (P = 0.03) compared to baseline.
Taste: Liraglutide resulted in a significantly less desire for sweet, salty, fatty, and savory foods with (p < 0.05) when compared to placebo.
Standardized nutrient drink test +100-m VAS.
3 Tronieri et al | 202025 United States Single-site, open-label, parallel-group RCT. 113 adults with obesity, in 3 groups (36,37,40). 21–70 years old. 3 groups: -
1- IBT-alone.
2- IBT- Liraglutide: IBT intervention combined with once daily subcutaneous injections of Liraglutide 3.0mg/day (Dosing started at 0.6 mg per day and increased by weekly 0.6 mg increments).
3- Multi-component: IBT intervention combined with once daily subcutaneous injections of Liraglutide 3.0mg/day (Dosing started at 0.6 mg per day and increased by weekly 0.6 mg increments), combined with the prescription at week 4 of a 12-week, 1000–1200 kcal/day meal replacement diet (this diet included four daily servings of a liquid shake (Health Management Resources–HMR; 160 kcal/shake), a prepackaged entrée (250–300 kcal), 1–2 servings of fruit, and a salad).
Liraglutide. No placebo. 52 weeks Appetite. Appetite: compared to IBT-alone, IBT- Liraglutide participants reported larger reductions at week 6 in hunger (, p = 0.005) and food preoccupation (p = 0.002) and larger increases in fullness (p = 0.001). Significant differences in appetite persisted for 24 weeks but were not maintained at week 52.
IBT- Liraglutide participants reported greater improvements in hunger, fullness, and food preoccupation than those assigned to IBT-alone. 
100-m VAS.
4 Van Can et al | 201426 Netherlands. Single-center, RCT, double-blind, two-period incomplete crossover trial. 49 adults with obesity. 18–75 years old. 3 groups: -
1- Liraglutide 1.8 mg.
2- Liraglutide 3.0 mg
3- Placebo
were administered once daily by evening subcutaneous injections.
Liraglutide. Placebo.
No mention regarding the type of placebo.
2 treatment periods, each consisting of 5 weeks at home plus a subsequent 2-day stay in the clinic, with 6–8 weeks washout period. Gastric emptying and appetite. Appetite: all Liraglutide doses showed similar effects on appetite, increased satiety and fullness, and decreased hunger. Overall appetite score (indicating reduced appetite), satiety, fullness and ‘100-prospective food consumption’ were statistically significantly and similarly increased with Liraglutide 1.8 and 3.0 mg groups compared with placebo group
Gastric emptying: significant difference between the Liraglutide 3.0 mg group and the placebo group after 1 hour. The Liraglutide 3.0 mg group was lower by 23% of gastric emptying than the placebo with (P = 0.007), but there was no significant difference between the placebo group with the Liraglutide 1.8 mg group gastric emptying was lower 13% only (P = 0.14).
100-m VAS + acetaminophen absorption.
GLP-1 (infusion)
5 Näslund et al | 199827 Sweden RCT, double-blind fashion on 2 occasions 5 d apart. 6 males with obesity. Mean age 34.7 years old. GLP-1 infusion (0.75 pmol kgU1 minU1). GLP-1 (0.75 pmol GLP-1 · kg-1 · min-1;) Normal saline (9 g/L) 2 occasions, 5 days apart. Appetite, gastric emptying, and food Preferences. Appetite: hunger and prospective consumption of food were significantly lower (P = 0.03, P = 0.04, respectively) with GLP-1 than with placebo (saline infusion). In contrast, feelings of fullness were not significantly different between GLP-1 infusion and placebo (saline infusion) (P = 0.4).
Gastric emptying: was significantly slower during GLP-1 infusion (P = 0.0001)
Food Preferences: no significant difference between the GLP-1 analogous (GLP-1 infusion) group and the placebo group in the proportion of food selected as carbohydrate, protein, fat, or low energy from the food-choice list (data not shown). Also, no significant difference in the ratio of high-carbohydrate to high-protein items selected between the GLP-1 analogous (GLP-1 infusion) group and the placebo group (P = 0.7). There was a significant difference in the number of items selected from the food-choice list. It was significantly lower in the GLP-1 analogous (GLP-1 infusion) group than in the placebo group immediately after food intake and four hours after intake (P = 0.03).
100-m VAS + acetaminophen absorption+ The forced-choice list
6 Näslund et al | 199928 Sweden RCT, double-blind, cross-over fashion on 2 occasions, 1 week apart. 8 males with obesity. Mean 35 years old. GLP-1 infusion (0.75 pmol /kg/ min) dissolved in 0.9% saline containing 1% albumin (Albumin Kabi 200mgaml) Intravenous infusion of GLP-1. Normal saline. 2 occasions, 1 week apart. Appetite, and gastric emptying. Appetite: GLP-1 infusion during the period between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner decreased the ratings of hunger (P`0.05; P = 0.01 respectively) and prospective consumption (P ` 0.05; P = 0.07 respectively) and fullness (P ` 0.05; P = 0.09 respectively).
Gastric emptying: was significantly slower during GLP-1 infusion (P = 0.0001)
100-m VAS + paracetamol absorption
7 Flint et al | 200116 Denmark RCT, single-blinded, cross-over study. 18 males with obesity (9,9). 21–57 years old. GLP-1 infusion (0.75 pmol kg-1 min-1). GLP-1 infusion. Normal saline. Two test days were separated by at least 3 weeks and by no more than 8 weeks. Appetite, gastric emptying and palatability Appetite: decreased the ratings of hunger and prospective food consumption decreased in the GLP-1 infusion compared with saline (P ` 0.05).
Gastric emptying: was significantly slower during GLP-1 infusion (P = 0.0001)
No differences were seen in palatability ratings (appearance, smell, taste, after taste and overall palatability) of the breakfast, whereas the appearance of the lunch was found to be more attractive during the GLP-1 infusion (P < 0.05).
100-m VAS + paracetamol absorption.
8 Näslund et al | 200420 Sweden RCT, cross-over, double-blind. 17 adults with obesity. 18–65 years old. GLP-1 infusion (45 to 75 pmol/kg per h).
Two methods of administration for each GLP-1 and Placebo: prandial subcutaneous injections (PSI) and continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSI).
GLP-1 infusion. Normal saline. 5 days for each intervention with a wash-out period of 9 d in between. Appetite, and gastric emptying. Appetite: group PSI reported increased satiety ratings compared with the placebo group after day one (P=0·03), but after day five, they did not find significant differences in satiety. Group CSI has no effects on satiety and hunger.
Gastric emptying: gastric emptying rate was reduced during both PSI (P,0·001) and CSI (P,0·05) treatment. However, it was more effective and faster with the PSI of GLP-1.
100-m VAS + paracetamol absorption.
9 Bergmann et al | 2019.29 Denmark RCT, double-blind, crossover study. 17 males with obesity/overweight. 25–70 years old. Four groups:
1. IIGI+ GIP (4 pmol kg−1 min−1).
2. IIGI+ GLP-1 (1 pmol kg−1 min−1).
3. IIGI+ GIP+ GLP-1 (4 and 1 pmol kg−1 min−1).
4. IIGI+ saline.
GLP-1 infusion Normal saline (154 mmol/l NaCl). 5 days. Appetite. No significant differences among the interventions were observed for the appetite profile at the beginning of the study. But at the end of the study, hunger and prospective food consumption were significantly lower (P= 0.031, P= 0.028 respectively) in the groups that used GLP-1 infusion as part of the intervention than the placebo group. 100-m VAS.
GLP-1 (Semaglutide)
10 Blundell et al | 201718 United Kingdom RCT, double‐blind, 2‐period crossover trial. 28 adults with obesity. ≥18 years old. Semaglutide (1.34 mg/mL) once weekly. Semaglutide Placebo.
No mention regarding the type of placebo.
12 weeks.
a wash-out period of 5–7 weeks
Appetite and food preferences. Appetite: the overall appetite suppression score indicates decreases in appetite (P = 0.0023).
Food references: the study evaluated the effect of Semaglutide on hedonics (food preferences and cravings), indicating a lower liking for high-fat and non-sweet foods (P=0.0016).25 In addition to lower ratings of wanting high-fat and non-sweet foods (P=0.0203) compared to placebo
100-m VAS + validated 16-item short form CoEQ.
+ LFPQ
11 Hjerpsted et al | 201822 United Kingdom RCT, double-blind, 2-period, crossover trial.  28 adults with obesity. ≥18 years old. Semaglutide subcutaneously once weekly.
The starting dose was 0.25mg (4 weeks), escalating to 0.5 mg (4 weeks) and thereafter to 1.0 mg (4 weeks).
Semaglutide  Placebo.
No mention regarding the type of placebo.
12-week treatment period.
The 2 treatment periods were separated by a washout period of 5 to 7 weeks.
Gastric emptying. Gastric emptying: There was no significant difference between treatments for the overall postprandial gastric emptying [95% CI: 0.88; P=1.01])
Overall gastric emptying was not statistically different between treatments.
Semaglutide group was 27% lower gastric emptying during the first hour than the placebo (P = 0.0012). However, there was no significant difference between treatments for overall postprandial gastric emptying (P = 1.01).
Paracetamol concentration
12 Friedrichsen et al | 202123 Germany RCT, single‐center, double‐blind, parallel‐group. 72 adults with obesity (36,36). 18–65 years old. Subcutaneous Semaglutide (dose-escalated to 2.4 mg/week). Semaglutide Placebo.
No mention regarding the type of placebo.
20 weeks. Appetite, gastric emptying, and food preferences. Appetite: the overall postprandial appetite suppression score with the Semaglutide group (p = 0.001). Increases in fullness and satiety and decreases in hunger and prospective food consumption with the Semaglutide group compared to the placebo (P <0.02).
Gastric emptying: subcutaneous Semaglutide (dose-escalated to 2.4 mg/week) for 20 weeks. No differences were found between Semaglutide and placebo (P = 0.8474)
Food reference: significantly less craving for sweet, savory, and dairy products after 20 weeks of Semaglutide intervention compared to placebo (P <0.05)
100-m VAS + paracetamol absorption + CoEQ

Abbreviations: RCT, Randomized Clinical Trial; VAS, Visual Analog Scale; IBT, Intensive Behavioral Therapy; GLP-1, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1; PSI, Prandial Subcutaneous Injections; CSI, Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion; rGLP-1, recombinant glucagon-like peptide-1; OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test; IIGI, Isoglycaemiciv. Glucose Infusion; GIP, Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide; CoEQ, Control of Eating Questionnaire; LFPQ, Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire; mg, Milligram; pmol, Picomoles Per Liter; kg, Kilogram; min, Minute; w/v, weight in volume; GI, Gastrointestinal; CNS, Central Nervous System; VAS, Visual Analogues Scale; PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analyses; PICOTS, Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time, and Study design; RCTs, Randomized Clinical Trials; DOI, Digital Object Identifier; MRI, Magnetic Resonance Imaging; RYGB, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; VSG, Vertical sleeve gastrectomy; fMRI, functional MRI.