Patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes often face challenges in achieving optimal metabolic control. Semaglutide and calorie-restricted diets individually improve glycemic status, but the combined effect has not been fully explored. A single-center prospective study at EASD 2025 evaluated 85 patients receiving semaglutide alone, a calorie-restricted diet alone, or both for three months, with a matched control group receiving no intervention.

All treatment groups experienced significant improvements in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance compared to controls. Notably, the combination of semaglutide and calorie restriction led to the greatest reductions in insulin resistance markers, including HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, and glycated hemoglobin.

Interestingly, this dual approach did not produce additional body mass index reduction beyond what was achieved with either semaglutide or diet alone. The findings suggest that combining pharmacological and dietary interventions may optimize metabolic outcomes without necessarily amplifying weight loss.