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Educational tool only. Does not confirm eligibility or provide medical advice. Always consult your physician before pursuing any trial.

EndocrinologyICD-10: E66

Find Recruiting Clinical Trials for Obesity and Weight Management

Search GLP-1, GIP/GLP-1 dual agonist, metabolic surgery, and behavioral obesity trials matched to your BMI and treatment history.

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About Obesity

Obesity is a chronic, complex, multifactorial metabolic disease — not a lifestyle choice or failure of willpower — characterized by excess adipose tissue that impairs health. It is defined by a BMI ≥30 kg/m² (Class I: 30–34.9; Class II: 35–39.9; Class III: ≥40), though body fat distribution and metabolic consequences matter as much as BMI alone. Obesity drives a cascade of serious comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH/MAFLD), osteoarthritis, and several cancers. Treatment has been transformed by GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide/Wegovy, liraglutide/Saxenda) and the dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist tirzepatide (Zepbound), which achieve 15–22% body weight reduction — approaching the efficacy of bariatric surgery. This pharmacological revolution has triggered an explosion of clinical trial activity, with dozens of next-generation agents now in development targeting obesity through novel mechanisms beyond the GLP-1 pathway.

What Types of Obesity Clinical Trials Exist?

Obesity clinical trials are among the most actively enrolling in all of medicine. Trial categories include: next-generation GLP-1/GIP/GLP-2 combinations and oral formulations (oral semaglutide, danuglipron); novel mechanisms (amylin analogues, GLP-1/glucagon dual agonists, melanocortin-4 receptor agonists, gut microbiome modulators); metabolic outcomes trials testing cardiovascular, renal, and liver benefits of weight loss agents; NASH/MAFLD trials with obesity as a key comorbidity; bariatric surgery comparison trials; and behavioral/digital health interventions. Most pharmacological trials require BMI ≥30 kg/m², or ≥27 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea). Prior GLP-1 exposure status (naive vs. inadequate responder) commonly determines eligibility.

Find Recruiting Obesity Trials Near You

Enter your profile and we'll search ClinicalTrials.gov in real time — matching trials to your age, location, and treatment history. Free, no account required.

Search Obesity Trials →

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov · Updated in real time · Educational use only

Frequently Asked Questions

What clinical trials are currently available for obesity and weight loss?▾
Obesity trial enrollment is at an all-time high. Currently recruiting trials include: next-generation GLP-1 combinations (GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple agonists, oral GLP-1 agents like oral semaglutide and danuglipron), novel non-GLP-1 mechanisms (amylin/GLP-1 combinations like cagrilintide+semaglutide/CagriSema, MC4R agonists, gut hormone combinations), cardiovascular outcomes trials for people with obesity and established heart disease or diabetes, NASH/liver disease trials where obesity is a primary driver, trials specifically for obesity with obstructive sleep apnea, and digital/behavioral intervention trials combining technology with pharmacotherapy. The pipeline is broader than GLP-1 alone — patients who have not responded adequately to existing agents are a particularly important trial population. Search ClinicalTrials.gov or use Tidera Health to find trials matched to your current medications and BMI.
What BMI do I need to qualify for obesity clinical trials?▾
Most pharmacological obesity trials require a BMI of ≥30 kg/m² (the clinical threshold for obesity) at screening. However, many trials lower this threshold to ≥27 kg/m² if you have at least one weight-related comorbidity — most commonly type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol/triglycerides), obstructive sleep apnea, or cardiovascular disease. This ≥27 with comorbidity threshold reflects the clinical reality that metabolic risk is elevated at lower BMIs in some populations. Some trials targeting specific comorbidities (e.g., heart failure with obesity, NASH) may have different or more flexible BMI requirements. BMI is always measured at the screening visit using your height and weight at that time — your historical BMI is not used. Certain trials for severe obesity may require BMI ≥35 or ≥40. Always verify current BMI and comorbidity status before searching for trials.
Can I join an obesity trial if I am already taking semaglutide or tirzepatide?▾
This depends entirely on the specific trial. There are three common scenarios: (1) GLP-1-naive trials require that you have never used a GLP-1 receptor agonist or dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist — these trials test agents in a treatment-naive population and require washout of any prior GLP-1 therapy (typically 3–6 months); (2) Inadequate responder trials specifically enroll patients who have tried a GLP-1 agent and achieved insufficient weight loss (often defined as <5–10% body weight reduction after a defined period) — these trials test add-on or alternative mechanisms; (3) Add-on or combination trials test a new agent on top of existing stable GLP-1 therapy. If you are currently on semaglutide or tirzepatide, you are not automatically excluded from all obesity trials — but you must identify trials designed for patients with your specific treatment history. Always disclose all current medications during trial screening.
Are obesity trials only focused on weight loss numbers?▾
No — and this is an important distinction. Many obesity trials are specifically designed around metabolic and organ outcomes rather than weight loss as the primary endpoint. Key examples: cardiovascular outcomes trials test whether weight loss agents reduce heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death in high-risk patients (SELECT trial with semaglutide established this; follow-on trials are now expanding this evidence base); heart failure trials test whether GLP-1 agents improve symptoms, exercise capacity, and quality of life in patients with heart failure and obesity; NASH/MAFLD trials test whether weight loss resolves liver inflammation and fibrosis; kidney protection trials test renal outcomes in patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease; sleep apnea trials measure objective improvement in AHI (apnea-hypopnea index). For patients with obesity-related comorbidities, these outcome-focused trials may be particularly relevant and beneficial beyond weight reduction alone.

Related Conditions

Type 2 DiabetesHeart Failure

Data source: All clinical trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, the official U.S. registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine. Tidera Health is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with ClinicalTrials.gov or the National Library of Medicine. Always verify trial details directly with the research coordinator or your physician.