Incretin therapy and its effect on body weight in patients with diabetes

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are two classes of treatments for type 2 diabetes, which enhance the well-known ‘incretin effect’ of increased insulin secretion in response to food intake. This concise review introduces both types of incretin-based therapies and focuses on the extra-pancreatic effect of GLP-1 on body weight. As well as improving glycaemic control in subjects with type 2 diabetes, these treatments have the additional benefits of improving weight management in these patients, with GLP-1 receptor agonists causing weight loss and DPP-4 inhibitors being weight neutral.