Conference Summaries – The Best of ObesityWeek

Achieving the Quintuple Aims of Care in Obesity Treatment

Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD, FTOS
ObesityWeek 2024 – Oral presentation

Key messages

Global obesity rates are still rising, and prevention efforts have been unsuccessful.
Optimizing obesity care requires an integrated approach.
Relief of obesity symptoms, disability, and fear is the responsibility of the healthcare system.
Effective new drug classes can drive markets and change public policy.

Through the Brain’s Lens – Visualizing Obesity’s Neural Pathways

Arpana Church, PhD
ObesityWeek 2024 – Oral presentation

Key messages

Food addiction is eating for pleasure rather than homeostatic need.
Higher levels of food addiction lead to increased risk in anxiety and depression.
Food addiction can impact the microbiome in both the brain and gut.
Psychosocial factors also impact the brain and increase the risk of food addiction and obesity.

The Evolving Universe of GLP-1 Medicines – What Does the Future Portend?

Daniel J. Drucker, MD
ObesityWeek 2024 – Oral presentation

Key messages

GLP-1RA have wider effects beyond simply inhibiting food intake.
There is an established evidence base in T2D, DKD, CVD, and obesity.
New data also show improvement in MASH.
Agents in development include new dual and triple agonists, as well as combinations and oral options.

SURMOUNT Clinical Trials Oral Session

Leigh Perreault, MD; Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD; Sean Wharton, MD, FRCPC, PharmD; et al.
ObesityWeek 2024 – Oral presentation

Key messages

SURMOUNT-1: Phase 3 clinical trial, with a prespecified analysis for prediabetes.
Weight reduction was sustained over the 3 years of the trial, with up to 43% losing ≥25%.
Nearly 99% of people with prediabetes at baseline remained T2D-free after 3 years on tirzepatide.
These long-term and off-drug data suggest that treatment controls but does not cure obesity.

SELECT Cardiovascular Outcome Trial: Old Lessons and New Learning

Donna Ryan, MD, FTOS; Robert F. Kushner, MD; A. Michael Lincoff, MD; et al.
ObesityWeek 2024 – Oral presentation

Key messages

In the SELECT trial, semaglutide delivered CV benefits in patients with overweight or obesity, establishing these conditions as modifiable risk factors.
Recent findings highlight potential in broader indications including kidney disease and inflammation, with particularly promising results for prediabetes.
Long-term safety findings are consistent with findings for other GLP-1RA.