Weight loss drug Wegovy helped teens with obesity lose weight

Weight loss drug Wegovy helped teens with obesity lose weight and reduce BMI, a new study shows.

Young people with obesity may soon have a powerful new tool to help them lose weight.

Results of a clinical trial released in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday found that adolescents who got a weekly injection of a drug that reduces appetite lost an average of 14.7% of their starting bodyweight, while those who got a placebo and counseling on diet and exercise gained 2.7% of their initial weight. The trial included 201 young people ages 12 to 17 at three medical centers around the country and in Europe and Mexico.

By the end of the study, over 40% of the participants who got the drug, along with lifestyle counseling, were able to reduce their BMI by 20% or more, said study co-author Aaron Kelly, co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

The drug semaglutide, sold under the brand name Wegovy, has been used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes doctors noticed a side effect of the drug, which works by telling the pancreas to secrete more insulin to control blood sugar. Some patients lost weight. When doctors pointed out the weight loss to drugmaker Novo Nordisk, the company designed trials to study semaglutide’s impact as a tool to address obesity. An earlier study in adults showed that the drug did indeed help with weight loss. The Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2021 for adults with obesity.

“I’m absolutely excited,” Kelly said. “We’ve entered the phase where we are seeing the kind of weight loss where teens come to us in tears. It’s the first time they’ve had control of their weight in their lifetimes.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/weight-loss-drug-helped-teens-obesity-lower-bmi-study-finds-rcna55270


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