OMA 2026 Recap: The Side Effects of GLP-1s for Obesity

The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Annual Conference 2026, in San Diego, California, featured >80 scientific and educational sessions covering everything from nutrition, physical activity, clinical pharmacology, and practice management for obesity care. From major steps forward in incretin therapies to the release of the updated OMA Obesity Algorithm, this year’s meeting brought tons of new data to the forefront of endocrinology care.

In the third episode of a 5-part HCPLive Special Report, Raghuveer Vedala, MD, and Shagun Bindlish, MD, discuss the most impactful headlines to come out of OMA 2026 – as well as how these findings can be applied to everyday obesity management and treatment.

Vedala shifts the discussion from emerging oral formulations of GLP-1 therapies to a key concern in obesity medicine: the impact of weight loss medications on lean mass, particularly muscle. The speakers highlight that while GLP-1–based therapies can produce substantial weight loss, a meaningful portion may come from lean mass, raising concerns about sarcopenia, frailty, bone health, and long-term functional outcomes, especially among older adults and women. Bindlish and Vedala discuss findings from studies such as SEMALEAN, which suggested that a significant percentage of weight loss with semaglutide may involve lean mass, while emphasizing that adequate protein intake and resistance training are essential strategies to help preserve muscle. Early data from the BELIEVE trial evaluating bimagrumab combined with semaglutide was also discussed as a potential future approach to improving fat loss while maintaining lean mass, though the evidence remains preliminary.

The conversation emphasizes that obesity treatment should not rely solely on medication, particularly as more GLP-1 therapies and other agents enter the market. The clinicians expressed concern that many patients are obtaining weight-loss medications through online platforms or compounded sources without receiving appropriate counseling on nutrition, exercise, muscle preservation, or baseline assessments such as body composition measurements. They stressed that medications should be viewed as tools that complement, rather than replace, lifestyle interventions. Resistance exercise, protein optimization, and comprehensive obesity medicine evaluations should become standard components of care to support long-term health, function, and longevity.