Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center

Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MSc

Concurrent Lifestyle Intervention Enhances Semaglutide Weight Loss, with Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MPH

Concurrent lifestyle intervention was associated with greater weight loss in people with overweight or obesity receiving semaglutide treatment and less regain following discontinuation.

These findings were from an emulated trial from data from the VA MOVE! Program, a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)-style lifestyle intervention (LI) led by Hui Shao, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health, and the School of Public Health at Emory University. They were presented by Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MPH, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center,at the 

2025 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions

The analysis included 2,403 participants from VA MOVE! who initiated semaglutide from 2019 to 2024 that were matched 1:3 to those without LI, using high-dimensional propensity score matching to balance baseline characteristics. Xue and colleagues used generalized mixed-effects models to assess body weight trajectories from semaglutide initiation through 12 months following discontinuation.

The investigators found that individuals with concurrent LI achieved greater weight loss before semaglutide discontinuation (-8.3% vs. -7.4%, 

<.001). Furthermore, at 12 months following discontinuation, LI participants had greater net weight loss (-5.8%) compared to nonparticipants (-3.3%; 

"Most of the phase 3 clinical trials have reported that semaglutide has some weight loss effect for most of the type 2 diabetes patients, or even overweight or obesity patients, but we don't know if during their semiglutide usage period if adding the MOVE program, that combined lifestyle intervention and the medication will increase the weight loss benefits,” Xue told 

Xue Q, Li P, Staton E, et al. 2199-LB: Weight Loss Maintenance following Semaglutide Discontinuation—The Role of Concurrent Lifestyle Intervention. 

. 2025;74(Supplement_1). doi: 10.2337/db25-2199-lb

Videos

Lifestyle intervention yielded greater maintained weight loss 12 months after discontinuing semaglutide than without.

Personalized Diabetes Prevention: Insights from 15 Years of the VA MOVE! Program, with Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MPH

A 15-year analysis of the VA MOVE! Program, a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)-style lifestyle intervention, found a 24% relative risk reduction in 

 overall, although there was substantial variation in individual responses.

Further analysis of the data from the program, led by Hui Shao, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health, and the School of Public Health at Emory University, has identified 10 key effect modifiers and developed a personalized prediction algorithm to identify individuals who stand to receive the greatest benefits from participating in the program.

Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MPH, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center, presented these findings at the 

“We know that most of the participants may not benefit equally… these differences may be partly from the different baseline characteristic, clinical biomarkers, and indicators, and we would like to explore the heterogeneity in their treatment response to the MOVE! Program,” Xue told 

 background on the VA MOVE! program and its main findings before going more into detail on what her research focused on. She went over some of the key effect modifiers, which were clinical, physical and mental. She also emphasized the personalized prediction algorithm’s potential to engage or reengage participants to the VA MOVE! study as average uptake remains low. Lastly, she discussed some future research that she would like to see conducted with other DPP interventions like VA MOVE! and other questions she would like to see answered.

“There are 2 opportunities here, to identify and prioritize those high benefits groups, and then, enhance the program engagement for the non-responders,” Xue said.

Xue Q, Li P, Lee J, et al. ADA Presidents' Select Abstract: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects of the VA MOVE! Weight Management Program in Preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Presented at ADA 2025; June 20-23; Chicago, Illinois. Presentation #159-OR

Xue discussed her research developing a personalized prediction algorithm for predicting responders to a DPP-style intervention.

Qiaochu Xue, PhD, MSc

Articles