OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of obesity continues to rise globally, contributing to the burden of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders. Lifestyle interventions have had varied success in managing obesity, prompting the need for more effective treatments. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have emerged as promising interventions offering benefits in weight loss, glycaemic control, and cardiovascular risk reduction. This research aims to identify key trends in systematic literature reviews (SLRs) on GLP-1 RAs in adults with obesity or overweight, published in the past five years.

METHODS: A comprehensive search using NICE-published terms for obesity, GLP-1 RAs, and SLRs was conducted in Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases to identify SLRs published between1/Jan/2019 and 19/Apr/2024. Investigational as well as approved GLP-1 RAs were included. Studies exclusively on GLP-1 RA for diabetes management or on surgical, herbal/supplement or lifestyle interventions were excluded. Screening was conducted by a single reviewer, with a 20% check by a second reviewer to ensure accuracy.

RESULTS: After removing duplicates, 221 publications were identified and screened, with 58 SLRs retained for assessment. The number of SLRs doubled over the five-year study period, from 5 published in 2019 to 10 in 2024. The majority of studies (48/58) included a meta-analysis. The most commonly assessed GLP-1 RAs were liraglutide and semaglutide (48%), followed by exenatide (24%) and dulaglutide (21%). Other less commonly identified agents included danuglipron, cotadutide, taspoglutide and mazdutide (2% each). Eleven (19%) SLRs were conducted in individuals with obesity and without diabetes. The most common subpopulations had diabetes (36%), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (10%), polycystic ovary syndrome (9%), or prior bariatric surgery (7%).

CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights growing interest and evidence in GLP-1 RAs for obesity management. Further research is needed to continue evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety of these interventions.