Tirzepatide ameliorates eating behaviors regardless of prior exposure to glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

To investigate effects of tirzepatide, a dual receptor agonist for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), on eating behaviors. Eating behaviors were evaluated by using a validated questionnaire survey in 33 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (mean age: 51.8 years) who were treated with tirzepatide (2.5 mg/week for 4 weeks and then 5.0 mg/week) for 6 months (M). Treatment with tirzepatide significantly decreased median hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (baseline/3 M/6 M: 7.3 %/6.0 %/5.8 %), mean body weight (BW) (baseline/3 M/6 M: 87.7 kg/82.0 kg/79.6 kg) and mean relative score of eating behaviors (baseline/3 M/6 M: 57.0/50.7/45.9). In the GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) naïve group (n = 20, men/women: 13/7), HbA1c and BW were continuously decreased up to 6 M. Changes in eating behaviors were mainly observed in the first 3 M. In the GLP-1RA non-naïve group (n = 13, men/women: 8/5), reductions in HbA1c and BW were predominant in the first 3 M, and changes in eating behaviors were observed up to 6 M. There were no significant correlations of changes in scores of eating behaviors with changes in glycemic control or those in BW. Tirzepatide ameliorates eating behaviors as well as glycemic management and obesity in Japanese patients with T2DM, and the patterns of improvement are partially dependent on prior exposure to GLP-1RAs. •Tirzepatide improved eating behaviors as well as glycemic management and body weight control.•The patterns of improvement by tirzepatide were partially dependent on prior exposure to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.•Improvement of eating behaviors by tirzepatide was not significantly associated with the extent of glycemic control or weight loss.