EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH DATA INSIGHTS
Review Article
Apr 09, 2026 120 12

Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review

Uchechukwu Bethel Abioke 1 * ,
Isaac Baiden 2,
Obiageri Ihuarulam Okeoma 3,
Victoria Partey-Newman 4,
Temitope Oluwatosin Adewale 5,
Shadrach Oluchi Onyekezini 6,
Ijeoma Linda Okwuowulu 7
1 Department of Physiotherapy, Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria2 Department of Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA 3 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Trinity University Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria4 Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Population, Family and Reproductive Health Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA 5 Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria6 Department of Pharmacy, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria7 Faculty of Clinical Science, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria* Corresponding Author
Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(3), 2026, ehdi035, https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
Publication date: Apr 09, 2026
Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Obesity is a chronic condition  driven in part by disrupted appetite control and changes in gastrointestinal function, both of which contribute to excessive energy intake and progressive weight gain. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, has been shown to produce meaningful weight loss in non-diabetic adults. Despite its growing clinical use, the physiological processes through which semaglutide influences appetite and gastric emptying have not been clearly brought together. This systematic review explored how semaglutide affects appetite regulation and gastric emptying, and how these effects relate to weight reduction.
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Dimensions for studies published between 2021 and 2026, in line with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Study screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment were carried out using Covidence by two independent reviewers, with a third reviewer resolving any disagreements. Four studies met the inclusion criteria, consisting of randomized controlled trials and one retrospective cohort study.
Across randomized trials, semaglutide was consistently associated with greater improvements in appetite-related outcomes compared with placebo, including reductions in hunger scores and overall energy intake. Studies that assessed gastric physiology reported a notable delay in gastric emptying with semaglutide, particularly during the early stages of treatment. These physiological changes occurred alongside greater weight loss in semaglutide-treated participants compared with control groups. Longer-term findings suggested that appetite suppression was maintained over time and accompanied by clinically meaningful weight reduction, while observational data supported the effectiveness of semaglutide in routine clinical practice.
Overall, the findings suggest that the weight-reducing effects of semaglutide in non-diabetic adults with obesity are closely tied to its ability to suppress appetite and slow gastric emptying. These mechanisms appear to play a central role in its therapeutic benefits and help explain the sustained weight loss observed with treatment.

KEYWORDS

Semaglutide Appetite Gastric Emptying Obesity Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Weight Loss

CITATION (Vancouver)

Abioke UB, Baiden I, Okeoma OI, Partey-Newman V, Adewale TO, Onyekezini SO, et al. Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2026;2(3):ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
APA
Abioke, U. B., Baiden, I., Okeoma, O. I., Partey-Newman, V., Adewale, T. O., Onyekezini, S. O., & Okwuowulu, I. L. (2026). Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(3), ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
Harvard
Abioke, U. B., Baiden, I., Okeoma, O. I., Partey-Newman, V., Adewale, T. O., Onyekezini, S. O., and Okwuowulu, I. L. (2026). Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(3), ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
AMA
Abioke UB, Baiden I, Okeoma OI, et al. Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2026;2(3), ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
Chicago
Abioke, Uchechukwu Bethel, Isaac Baiden, Obiageri Ihuarulam Okeoma, Victoria Partey-Newman, Temitope Oluwatosin Adewale, Shadrach Oluchi Onyekezini, and Ijeoma Linda Okwuowulu. "Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights 2026 2 no. 3 (2026): ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334
MLA
Abioke, Uchechukwu Bethel et al. "Appetite Regulation and Gastric Emptying of Semaglutide in Non-Diabetic Obese Adults: A Systematic Review". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, vol. 2, no. 3, 2026, ehdi035. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18334

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