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. 2022 Jul 26;9(2):127-136.
doi: 10.1002/osp4.619. eCollection 2023 Apr.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg for binge eating disorder

Kelly C Allison  1 , Ariana M Chao  1   2 , Maija B Bruzas  1 , Courtney McCuen-Wurst  1 , Elizabeth Jones  1 , Cooper McAllister  1 , Kathryn Gruber  1 , Robert I Berkowitz  1   3 , Thomas A Wadden  1 , Jena S Tronieri  1
Affiliations

A pilot randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg for binge eating disorder

Kelly C Allison et al. Obes Sci Pract. .

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy of liraglutide 3.0 mg, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, for binge eating disorder (BED).

Methods: Adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2 enrolled in a pilot, 17-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg/day for BED. The primary outcome was number of objective binge episodes (OBEs)/week. Binge remission, weight change, and psychosocial variables were secondary outcomes. Mixed effect models were used for continuous variables, and generalized estimating equations were used for remission rates.

Results: Participants (n = 27) were 44.2 ± 10.6 years; BMI = 37.9 ± 11.8 kg/m2; 63% women; and 59% White and 41% Black. At baseline, the liraglutide group (n = 13) reported 4.7 ± 0.7 OBEs/week, compared with 3.0 ± 0.7 OBEs/week for the placebo group, p = 0.07. At week 17, OBEs/week decreased by 4.0 ± 0.6 in liraglutide participants and by 2.5 ± 0.5 in placebo participants (p = 0.37, mean difference = 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 2.0). BED remission rates of 44% and 36%, respectively, did not differ. Percent weight loss was significantly greater in the liraglutide versus the placebo group (5.2 ± 1.0% vs. 0.9 ± 0.7%, p = 0.005).

Conclusion: Participants in both groups reported reductions in OBEs, with the liraglutide group showing clinically meaningful weight loss. A pharmacy medication dispensing error was a significant limitation of this study. Further research on liraglutide and other GLP-1 agonists for BED is warranted.

Keywords: binge eating disorder; binge episodes; eating disorder; liraglutide; loss of control eating; weight loss medication.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ariana M. Chao reports grant funding from Eli Lilly and Company and WW International, Inc., outside the submitted work. Robert I. Berkowitz has received research grant support from Novo Nordisk and Eisai Inc. and has served as a scientific consultant to WW International. Thomas A. Wadden serves on scientific advisory boards for Novo Nordisk and WW International and has received grant support from Novo Nordisk and Epitomee Medical. Jena S. Tronieri has received consulting fees/honoraria from Novo Nordisk.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
CONSORT diagram
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Observed mean (SE) number of binge episodes per week in the liraglutide 3.0 mg and placebo groups by treatment week
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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