Evaluation of the Effect of Liraglutide Used in Obesity Treatment on Quality of Life

Author(s):

Duygu İlke Yildirim*

Introduction: Obesity is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the body, influenced by genetic factors, dietary habits, physical activity, hormonal imbalances and environmental factors. Liraglutide, a medication used to treat obesity, mimics the hormone GLP-1, which affects appetite control in the brain, promotes satiety and reduces food intake. It also regulates gastric emptying, aiding digestion and maintaining blood sugar balance. This study aims to evaluate the effect of liraglutide on the quality of life in obese patients.

Methods: This study is descriptive and retrospective. A total of 274 participants were included, with 137 participants in the control group and 137 participants in the treatment group. A total of 137 patients were started on liraglutide treatment during this period. At the initial visits, participants were asked to complete a Short Form 36 (SF-36) quality of life scale along with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Baseline characteristics were evaluated using descriptive statistics.

Results: It was found that patients who used 3.0 mg liraglutide for a total of 8 weeks had significantly lower weight and BMI values compared to those not using the medication. Although both groups did not respond equally to treatment and there was no significant difference in terms of quality of life scores at baseline, significantly lower weight and BMI values were found in the group using 3.0 mg liraglutide. Following liraglutide treatment, a significant improvement was observed in physical, psychological, social health as measured by the SF-36 questionnaire.

Conclusion: An eight week treatment with liraglutide in obese patients resulted in significant weight loss and improved quality of life. Including disease-specific and general quality of life measurements in clinical studies related to obesity could be beneficial.