Online Clinic Achieves Major Weight Loss with Lower Drug Doses

A new study shows that an online weight loss program helped users lose as much weight as in clinical trials, while using much smaller doses of the drug semaglutide. The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) and will be published in The Lancet Digital Health.

The online clinic, called Embla, uses a mobile app and combines medical support with diet, exercise, and therapy. Patients in the program lost an average of 16.7% of their body weight after 64 weeks. This matches results from earlier clinical trials, where semaglutide was used at much higher doses.

Online program uses less medication with strong results

Semaglutide is a drug that helps people lose weight by reducing hunger. In clinical trials, most patients received a weekly dose of 2.4mg. In this real-world study, patients used about 1mg per week on average. Only 28.8% of users needed more than that. Despite the lower dosage, weight loss results were nearly the same as those from large clinical studies.

This approach has many benefits. Using less of the drug reduces side effects and saves money. It also helps more people access the treatment, especially during times of limited supply.

Digital support and therapy improve outcomes

The Embla program offers more than just medication. Patients get advice on healthy eating, regular exercise, and mental health. The app also connects them to doctors, nurses, and psychologists. This full support system helps users stay motivated and make lasting lifestyle changes.

Each patient received a dose of semaglutide that fit their personal needs. If they were losing weight steadily and felt fine, the dose stayed the same. Only when progress slowed or side effects were low, doctors increased the dose. This method is called “treat to target.”

Weight loss results by week and gender

The study followed 2,694 people in Denmark. Most were women, with an average age of 47 and an average weight of 100.5 kg. At week 26, patients had lost 12.2% of their weight. At week 52, the loss was 16.2%, and at week 64, it was 16.7%.

Women lost more weight than men. On average, women lost 17.6%, while men lost 13.4%. Also, people who used the app more often lost more weight.

Similar success across all age and weight groups

One key finding is that weight loss was similar for all users, no matter their age or starting weight. This suggests that lower doses of semaglutide can work well for many types of people. Also, the drug was safe for most patients. Some had mild side effects like nausea or stomach pain, but these did not last long.

Study limitations and future direction

The study did have some limits. It used self-reported data, and there was no control group. Still, the results suggest that real-world programs like this can be very effective. The mix of low-dose medication, coaching, and therapy gives people the tools they need to reach their goals.

The research team believes this approach could help health systems reduce costs while still offering strong support for people with obesity. More studies may help confirm these early results.