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Aim: Use of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist liraglutide has been shown to reduce weight. Different types of anthropometric measurements can be used to measure adiposity. This study evaluated the effect of liraglutide on sagittal abdominal diameter, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and adiponectin levels in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) treated with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI)., Materials and Methods: In the multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled MDI-liraglutide trial, 124 individuals with T2D treated with MDI were randomized to either liraglutide or placebo. Basal values of weight, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, sagittal abdominal diameter and adiponectin were compared with measurements at 12 and 24 weeks after randomization., Results: Baseline-adjusted mean weight loss was 3.8 ± 2.9 kg greater in liraglutide than placebo-treated individuals ( p  < 0.0001). Waist circumference was reduced by 2.9 ± 4.3 cm and 0.2 ± 3.6 cm in the liraglutide and placebo groups, respectively, after 24 weeks (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 2.6 ± 4.0 cm, p  = 0.0005). Corresponding reductions in sagittal abdominal diameter were 1.1 ± 1.7 cm and 0.0 ± 1.8 cm (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 1.1 ± 1.7 cm, p  = 0.0008). Hip circumference was reduced in patients randomized to liraglutide (baseline-adjusted mean difference between treatment groups: 2.8 ± 3.8 cm, p  = 0.0001), but there was no significant difference between the groups in either waist-to-hip ratio (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 0.0 ± 0.04 cm, p  = 0.51) or adiponectin levels (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 0.8 ± 3.3 mg L -1 , p  = 0.17). Lower HbA1c and mean glucose levels measured by masked continuous glucose monitoring at baseline were associated with greater effects of liraglutide on reductions in waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter., Conclusions: In patients with T2D, adding liraglutide to MDI may reduce abdominal and hip obesity to a similar extent, suggesting an effect on both visceral and subcutaneous fat. Liraglutide had greater effects on reducing abdominal obesity in patients with less pronounced long-term hyperglycaemia but did not affect adiponectin levels., Competing Interests: S. S. A.'s institution received grants from Novo Nordisk during the conduct of the study. K. F. has been a consultant or speaker for Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Astra Zeneca and Sanofi and acted as an advisory board member for MSD, NovoNordisk and AstraZeneca. I. H. has been a consultant for Abbott Diabetes Care, Roche, Bigfoot and Becton Dickinson and has received grants from Medtronic Diabetes. J. T. has received grants from Bayer Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck Serono and MSD outside the submitted work, and has acted as a consultant, advisory board member or speaker for Merck Serono, Orion Pharma, Renova and MSD, and is a share owner in Orion Pharma. B. A. has received lecture fees from Novartis, Merck, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk and has received grants from Novartis and Merck outside the submitted work. S. S. has occasionally been a consultant and received honorariums from Eli Lilly, Sanofi‐Aventis, Novo Nordisk, Abbot Scandinavia, AstraZeneca and Merck, Sharp & Dohme and has participated in advisory boards for Sanofi‐Aventis, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly. M. L.'s institution received grants from Novo Nordisk during the conduct of the study. M. L. has received honoraria or been a consultant for AstraZeneca, DexCom, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, participated in advisory boards for MSD and Novo Nordisk and received research grants from AstraZeneca and Dexcom outside the submitted work. S. S. A., H. D., S. D., S. I., H. I. and T. G. have no conflict of interest to declare.