4 ms·
> The results astonished researchers: a weekly injection for almost 16 months, along with some lifestyle changes, reduced body weight by at least 20% in more th
by jobs_throwaway 4y ago
> The results astonished researchers: a weekly injection for almost 16 months, along with some lifestyle changes, reduced body weight by at least 20% in more than one-third of the participants
Why would they introduce lifestyle changes alongside the drug? Doesn't that complicate the analysis?
- carbocation 4y agoProbably assigned both arms to lifestyle changes, since we know those are beneficial. Assuming that's the case, then yes to your point, but also it's the right thing to do since there is no equipoise about lifestyle.
- ceejayoz 4y agoThe control group will have been asked to make the same lifestyle changes, but with a placebo drug. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183 https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183 > Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio, through the use of an interactive Web-based response system, to receive semaglutide at a dose of 2.4 mg administered subcutaneously once a week for 68 weeks or matching placebo, in addition to lifestyle intervention...
- Tade0 4y agoI suppose it actually makes it simpler, because you control for lifestyle changes. Who says some participants wouldn't just start eating trash? I know I did after I lost some weight due to a bad case of something my child brought in from daycare.
- djur 4y agoOne of the expected benefits of the medication is to make it easier to comply with recommended lifestyle changes. It simplifies the analysis to recommend a specific set of changes rather than letting all of the participants improvise their own diet and exercise changes.