Obesity affects over 30% of adults in Minnesota, contributing to rising rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions. As clinicians and researchers search for effective tools to address this growing health crisis, semaglutide has emerged as a leading option in the medical treatment of obesity.

This article explains what semaglutide is, how it works, the evidence supporting its use for weight loss, and the associated risks and benefits.

What Is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of medications originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. It mimics glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, slows gastric emptying, and reduces appetite.

While semaglutide has been used for years under the brand names Ozempic® and Rybelsus® for diabetes, it was FDA-approved in 2021 under the name Wegovy® specifically for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition.

How Effective Is Semaglutide for Weight Loss?

Semaglutide is one of the most effective non-surgical treatments for obesity currently available. Clinical trials have consistently shown significant weight reduction among participants:

• A landmark 2021 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found that adults with obesity who took semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks, compared to 2.4% in the placebo group.
• (NEJM, 2021)
• In the STEP 1 trial, 86.4% of participants receiving semaglutide achieved ≥5% weight loss, and nearly 70% achieved ≥10% weight loss.

These results are significantly higher than most other FDA-approved weight loss medications.

Benefits of Semaglutide for Obesity Treatment


Semaglutide offers several benefits beyond weight reduction:

• Improved metabolic health: Enhances insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose
• Reduced cardiovascular risk: May lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammatory markers
• Appetite regulation: Decreases hunger and food cravings, making behavior change more sustainable
• Sustained weight loss: When combined with lifestyle changes, weight loss is more likely to be maintained over time

Potential Risks and Side Effects

As with any medication, semaglutide carries potential risks. The most commonly reported side effects include:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal discomfort
• Gallbladder issues: Risk of gallstones may increase with rapid weight loss
• Pancreatitis: Though rare, acute pancreatitis has been reported in some users
• Thyroid tumors: Semaglutide carries a boxed warning for risk of thyroid C-cell tumors observed in animal studies (not confirmed in humans)

Patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) should not take semaglutide.

Medical supervision is essential. A licensed healthcare provider will evaluate whether the benefits outweigh the risks in your particular case.

Obesity in Minnesota: A Local Perspective

According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS):

• Over 1 in 3 adults in Minnesota have obesity (BMI ≥ 30)
• Rates are especially high in rural and low-income communities
• Obesity-related health care costs in Minnesota exceed $2.8 billion annually

Despite increased awareness of nutrition and exercise, many individuals struggle to lose weight with lifestyle changes alone. Medications like semaglutide offer a science-backed alternative for those at risk of obesity-related health complications.

Semaglutide represents a major advancement in the treatment of obesity. Backed by robust clinical data, it offers meaningful weight loss and improvements in metabolic health for qualifying individuals. However, its use must be guided by clinical evaluation to assess appropriateness, manage potential risks, and ensure a safe treatment plan.

For Minnesota residents, increasing access to evidence-based therapies like semaglutide could significantly reduce the burden of obesity-related disease in the state.