Can Wegovy be used for weight maintenance after weight loss?

Yes. Wegovy (semaglutide) is specifically approved for both weight loss and weight maintenance, so it can be continued after you reach your goal weight. NICE guidance recommends semaglutide for “weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance” in suitable patients.

Clinical evidence strongly supports staying on treatment to help maintain weight loss. Research consistently shows that people who stop semaglutide tend to regain much of the weight they lost, whereas those who continue treatment are more likely to maintain their progress. In the STEP 1 extension, participants who discontinued semaglutide after 68 weeks regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost within one year, while continued therapy maintained benefits. Longer-term data also demonstrate sustained weight loss for up to four years with ongoing semaglutide treatment.

Key facts about Wegovy for weight maintenance

• Approved indication: NICE approves semaglutide for weight management, which includes both weight loss and weight maintenance.
• Weight-regain prevention: Continuing treatment after reaching goal weight helps prevent the significant regain commonly seen when stopping (≈ two-thirds of lost weight within 12 months after discontinuation).
• Long-term effectiveness: With ongoing therapy, clinically meaningful weight loss can be sustained for up to 4 years in trial populations.
• Maintenance dosing: Most adults maintain on 2.4 mg weekly; if not tolerated, 1.7 mg weekly may be used as a maintenance dose—your prescriber will individualise based on response and tolerability.
• NHS support: NICE advises people receive ongoing support to help keep weight off after active treatment ends (e.g., behavioural and lifestyle support).
• Chronic-condition approach: Obesity is a long-term condition; many people benefit from ongoing management rather than short courses alone.

Sources

• NICE TA875 – Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity
• STEP 1 trial extension – Weight regain after semaglutide withdrawal (JAMA, 2022)
• Nature Medicine (2024) – Sustained weight loss with semaglutide up to 4 years
• NICE news – People need support to keep weight off after treatment ends
• NHS Scotland Right Decisions – Wegovy protocol (dosing, maintenance options)