Effects of Liraglutide and Behavioral Weight Loss on Food Cravings, Eating Behaviors, and Eating Disorder Psychopathology

• Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2019-12, Vol.27 (12), p.2005-2010
• Main Authors: Chao, Ariana M., Wadden, Thomas A., Walsh, Olivia A., Gruber, Kathryn A., Alamuddin, Naji, Berkowitz, Robert I., Tronieri, Jena S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Obesity Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Obesity Agents - therapeutic use; Antidiabetics; Appetite; Behavior modification; Behavior Therapy - methods; Binge-Eating Disorder - complications; Brain; Clinical trials; Craving - drug effects; Diabetes; Diet; Eating disorders; Feeding and Eating Disorders - drug therapy; Female; Food; Gastrointestinal surgery; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Liraglutide - pharmacology; Liraglutide - therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Nurse practitioners; Obesity; Obesity - drug therapy; Peptides; Psychopathology; Psychopathology - methods; Suicides & suicide attempts; Treatment Outcome; Weight control; Weight Loss - drug effects
• ISSN: 1930-7381; 1930-739X
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.22653

Objective This exploratory analysis examined the effects of intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) for obesity (“IBT‐alone”), IBT plus liraglutide 3.0 mg/d (“IBT‐liraglutide”), and IBT plus liraglutide 3.0 mg/d plus 12 weeks of a portion‐controlled diet that provided 1,000 to 1,200 kcal/d (“Multicomponent”) on changes in food cravings, eating behaviors, and eating disorder psychopathology at 24 and 52 weeks post randomization. Methods Adults with obesity (mean age = 47.6 ± 11.8 years and BMI = 38.4 ± 4.9 kg/m2; 79.3% female; 54.0% non‐Hispanic white; 44.7% black) were randomized to IBT‐alone (n = 50), IBT‐liraglutide (n = 50), or Multicomponent (n = 50). Results At weeks 24 and 52, liraglutide‐treated groups reported significantly larger declines in weight concern relative to the IBT‐alone group. At week 24, compared with IBT‐alone, liraglutide‐treated groups reported significantly greater reductions in dietary disinhibition, global eating disorder psychopathology, and shape concern. The Multicomponent group had significantly greater reductions in binge eating at week 24 relative to the IBT‐alone group. However, differences among groups were no longer significant at week 52. Groups did not differ in total food cravings at week 24 or 52. Conclusions The combination of liraglutide and IBT was associated with greater short‐term improvements in dietary disinhibition, global eating disorder psychopathology, and shape concern than IBT alone.