Impact of Sleeping Habits on the Weight Loss Effect of Oral Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Among Obese Patients: An Observational Study in Japan

Abstract

Although glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have been used as anti-obesity agents, there are individual differences between these agents, thus making it difficult to achieve optimal treatment efficacy. This study aimed to determine the impact of sleeping habits on the weight loss effect of semaglutide, an oral GLP-1 RA, among Japanese individuals with obesity. Data were collected from March 2022 to October 2024. A total of 367 Japanese adults (30.5% men and 69.5% women) were included for analysis. Among them, 83.9% had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m 2 , and 16.1% had a BMI of 35 kg/m 2 or more. The percentage change from baseline in body weight was assessed every three months and at the end of the follow-up period. The assessments were conducted in accordance with the Japanese guidelines for the management of obesity. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between the therapeutic efficacy of semaglutide and potentially related factors, including sleeping habits. Participants who exhibited improvements in sleeping time or sleep quality during the treatment period were considered to have experienced sufficient treatment effects. These findings suggest that getting enough sleep may improve the weight loss effect of GLP-1 RAs in real-world settings.