Obesity drugs cut food cravings in study

New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, shows that using **obesity drugs** alongside behavioral interventions leads to a larger drop in so-called **food noise** than using behavioral therapy alone. The study, conducted by Dr. Hanim Diktas and colleagues at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, found that **GLP-1 receptor agonists** may produce significant changes in **food noise**.

**Food noise** refers to persistent, intrusive thoughts about food that disrupt daily life and make healthy behaviors difficult. The study examined short-term changes in **food noise** in a digital behavioral weight management program with and without **GLP-1 receptor agonists**.

Study Methodology

The observational cohort study included **417 adults** participating in a digital behavioral weight management program and evaluated one-month changes in **food noise** using the validated **Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ)**.

The **FNQ** asks participants five questions and scores each answer from 0 to 4 points, giving a maximum total of **20**. The questions/statements that users must rank themselves on include ratings of strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, and strongly agree.

All individuals completed an online survey at baseline and after a month of follow-up. The analytic sample included participants who initiated a **GLP-1 receptor agonist** alongside behavioral treatment (**Weight Watchers Med+**, **GLP-1 RA n=92**) and participants who did not initiate a **GLP-1 receptor agonist** while receiving behavioral treatment (**Weight Watchers Core+**, **No GLP-1 RA**, **n=325**).

Results

The study found that **FNQ scores** and body weight measured with digital scales were collected at baseline and at the one-month follow-up. Statistical modeling estimated change over time and whether the change differed between the two groups.

Most participants were **white (94%)** and **female (93%)**, with a mean age of **59 years** and a mean **BMI** of **34 kg/m2**. The **FNQ scores** at baseline were significantly different between the two groups.

The study revealed significant decreases in **food noise** from baseline to one-month follow-up for the **Weight Watchers Med+** (**adjusted mean change -4.05**) and the **Weight Watchers Core+** group (**-1.15**). The results also indicated a greater decrease in **food noise** in the **Weight Watchers Med+** group (**adjusted between-groups difference was -3.0**).

Conclusion

The authors say that **food noise** was reduced during weight loss treatment, and initiation of **GLP-1 receptor agonist** drugs was associated with a significantly greater reduction than behavioral treatment alone. This substantial reduction in **food noise** with **GLP-1 receptor agonist** drugs, when combined with behavioral treatment, is in line with previous anecdotal findings and may serve as an early indicator of treatment response.

Additional analyses examining weight change and its relationship to changes in **food noise** are underway for the full manuscript. The study’s findings suggest that using **obesity drugs** alongside behavioral interventions may be an effective way to reduce **food noise** and promote healthy behaviors.

The research was presented during the poster sessions of the **33rd European Congress on Obesity**. Dr. Diktas and colleagues hope that their study will contribute to a better understanding of the role of **food noise** in weight management and the potential benefits of using **GLP-1 receptor agonists** in combination with behavioral interventions.

The study included **417 adults** participating in a digital behavioral weight management program.
The **Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ)** was used to evaluate one-month changes in **food noise**.
Statistical modeling estimated change over time and whether the change differed between the two groups.

The room where the research was presented was filled with researchers and scientists interested in learning more about the latest developments in obesity treatment. The presentation took place at **10:00 AM** on the second day of the conference.