Liraglutide improves control of blood glucose. It reduces meal-related hyperglycemia (for 24 hours after
administration) by increasing insulin secretion (only) when required by increasing glucose levels, delaying gastric
emptying, and suppressing prandial glucagon secretion. As of 2017 it is unclear if they affect a person's risk of death.

In common to various degrees with other GLP-1 receptor agonists, liraglutide has advantages over more traditional
therapies for type 2 diabetes:

It acts in a glucose-dependent manner, meaning it will stimulate insulin secretion only when blood glucose levels
are higher than normal, preventing "overshoot". Consequently, it shows negligible risk of hypoglycemia.
It has the potential for inhibiting apoptosis and stimulating regeneration of beta cells (seen in animal studies).
It decreases appetite and inhibits body weight gain, as shown in a head-to-head study versus glimepiride.
It lowers blood triglyceride levels.

Obesity
Liraglutide has been approved as an injectable adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for
chronic weight management in adult patients. The specified criteria are an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2
or greater (obese), or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight), in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid
condition (e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia).