Weight loss drugs for kids: Liraglutide lowered BMI in children ages 6 to 12
In a late-stage clinical trial, a drug similar to Ozempic was shown to reduce body mass index in kids ages 6 to 11 with obesity, according to results published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In a late-stage clinical trial, a drug similar to Ozempic was shown to reduce body mass index in kids ages 6 to 11 with obesity, according to results published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The findings bring the phenomenon — and the controversy — of the latest new and powerful weight loss drugs to the youngest age group yet. With the exception of drugs for rare genetic disorders that cause obesity, there are no pharmaceutical options for obesity in children under 12.
The new trial looked at liraglutide, the active ingredient used in two of Novo Nordisk’s older GLP-1 drugs: Saxenda, a weight loss drug, and Victoza, a diabetes drug. Semaglutide, another GLP-1 also from Novo Nordisk, is the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy.
All are intended for lifelong use.
Given that 6 to 11 are crucial ages for a child’s development, there are concerns about how the medications might impact their growth, said Dr. Roy Kim, a pediatric endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s in Ohio.
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