Skip to main content

Small Differences in Weight Change With First-Line Antidepressants

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 1, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- For eight first-line antidepressants, small differences are seen in mean weight change, with the least weight gain with bupropion, according to a study published online July 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Joshua Petimar, Sc.D., from Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in Boston, and colleagues conducted an observational cohort study over 24 months to compare weight change across common first-line antidepressant treatments using electronic health record data for 183,118 patients. Initiation of treatment with sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, or venlafaxine was ascertained using prescription data.

The researchers found that the estimated six-month weight gain was higher for escitalopram, paroxetine, duloxetine, venlafaxine, and citalopram than sertraline (differences, 0.41, 0.37, 0.34, 0.17, and 0.12 kg, respectively), was similar for fluoxetine (difference, −0.07 kg), and was lower for bupropion (difference, −0.22 kg). A 10 to 15 percent higher risk for gaining at least 5 percent of baseline weight was seen for escitalopram, paroxetine, and duloxetine, while a 15 percent reduced risk was seen for bupropion. Associations were stronger, with wider confidence intervals, when the effects of initiation and adherence were estimated. There was variation seen in six-month adherence, from 28 to 42 percent for duloxetine and bupropion, respectively.

"Clinicians and patients could consider these differences when making decisions about specific antidepressants, especially given the complex relationships of obesity and depression with health, quality of life, and stigma," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted July 2024

Read this next

Metformin Beneficial for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain in Overweight, Obesity

THURSDAY, May 1, 2025 -- For patients with overweight or obesity and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, metformin is associated with a greater improvement in knee pain than placebo...

Many Medicaid Enrollees Have Restricted Access to SGLT2 Inhibitors, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Many Medicaid enrollees with type 2 diabetes have restricted access to cardioprotective medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2...

Recent Years Saw Increase in Youth With Anxiety, Depression

MONDAY, April 28, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of youth who experienced anxiety or depression, according to a research letter published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.