Essentials · Evidence reviewed
What happens to weight after stopping Wegovy?
Researchers following the STEP 1 clinical trial wanted to know what happened after people stopped semaglutide, the ingredient in Wegovy. They studied a subset of participants who had finished the 68-week trial, then observed them for another year without the study medication or structured lifestyle program. The findings help answer one of the biggest practical questions: will lost weight stay off after treatment ends?
Who conducted the study, and why?
The STEP 1 extension followed a subset of people who had taken semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo during a 68-week trial. Investigators wanted to understand what happened during the year after the study medicine and organized lifestyle intervention stopped. It was not a new randomization at the point of stopping.
What did researchers find?
At the end of treatment, participants in the semaglutide group had lost about 17.3% of their starting weight on average. A year after stopping they had regained about 11.6 percentage points, leaving around 5.6% net weight reduction compared with their original weight. These figures describe averages in the extension participants.
Why does this matter in daily life?
Someone who loses weight may feel their work is finished when they reach their goal. The study suggests that maintaining weight after medication stops may be difficult for many people. This does not mean everyone regains the same amount or at the same speed; responses vary and stopping was accompanied by withdrawal of the structured study support.
What should you plan before stopping?
Discuss why treatment might stop, what follow-up is appropriate, how weight and other health markers will be monitored, and what ongoing nutrition, activity or alternative care is available. If cost is the obstacle, explore coverage and assistance before making changes on your own.
The bottom line
Long-term weight maintenance deserves its own plan; stopping treatment can lead to regain even after substantial weight loss.
Written and published by MyDosePro as an educational explanation of publicly available evidence. The linked primary source is dated 2022-05-19. We identify trial registrations separately from published results and do not provide individual prescribing advice.
Primary sourceSTEP 1 extension, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism ↗
This guide explains published evidence; source dates may be older than the review date. Our interpretation is educational and does not replace medical or insurance advice.