大象APP

As of this summer, about 12% of U.S. adults said they had been on a GLP-1聽receptor agonist 鈥� the class of drugs that includes聽Ozempic and Wegovy 鈥斅爁or either weight loss or treatment of another condition, according to a poll by KFF Health News. Celebrities have taken the drugs. The term 鈥淥zempic face鈥� has entered the lexicon. And the drugs have been in such high demand that counterfeit 鈥� and sometimes dangerous 鈥� versions have popped up, too.

As the drugs have gained name recognition among adults, they鈥檝e also become more and more popular with children and adolescents.

'We need more聽time'

About 1 in every 5 children in the U.S. has obesity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And among adolescents, prescriptions of GLP-1s have skyrocketed. More than 30,000 adolescents between 12 and 17 years old used GLP-1s in 2023, according to a University of Michigan study.

Doctors say early obesity intervention can help prevent later health problems, but prescribing drugs to growing children comes with its own complications.

Dr. Chris Straughn, a pediatrician at Medical City Children鈥檚 Hospital in Dallas, said research shows GLP-1s can be both effective and safe for kids and teens, but that research only shows the impact over a few years.

鈥淏oth in kids and adults, we just don鈥檛 know. These meds are new enough that we need more time,鈥� Straughn said.

Wegovy, which is the weight-loss equivalent to the drug Ozempic, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in kids as young as 12. It hasn鈥檛 been approved for kids younger than 12, although there is ongoing research on younger kids. A recent study on Saxenda, a predecessor to Wegovy, found the drug was effective for kids ages 6 to 12.

That type of study is encouraging for GLP-1 use in kids.

鈥淓arly intervention is a good thing, and that鈥檚 what pediatricians hang our hats on,鈥� Straughn said. 鈥淪o this absolutely can be a tool.鈥�

But there鈥檚 still a lot of unknowns.

Dr. Dan Cooper 鈥� a researcher and pediatrics professor at the University of California, Irvine鈥檚 School of Medicine 鈥� said there are circumstances when a GLP-1 prescription makes sense, such as when a child is developing or has already developed diabetes. But for other children, the risk calculation is more difficult.

That鈥檚 particularly because there isn鈥檛 much research on the long-term impacts of GLP-1s when prescription starts as a child or adolescent. Cooper said puberty is an especially important time for cementing long-term health, and there could be long-term repercussions if children鈥檚 bodies and brains aren鈥檛 given the nutrients to develop properly.

鈥淒uring that time, you get bone mineralization and you get muscle development and you probably get changes in your brain and behavior, which are related to energy balance,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淏y the time you鈥檙e a young adult or beyond, you can鈥檛 do that again.鈥�

Be cautious and supportive

It鈥檚 not clear whether GLP-1 use in childhood or adolescence could have an impact on long-term development. And that鈥檚 exactly Cooper鈥檚 point.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the long-term effect? Nobody knows. So this is my concern, that we should be very, very careful about using these medications,鈥� Cooper said.

Overall, Cooper said, parents shouldn鈥檛 be afraid to ask their children鈥檚 doctors about GLP-1s and have their children use the drugs 鈥� when it鈥檚 appropriate. For children and adolescents who do begin using GLP-1s, Cooper said parents should keep an eye out to make sure it鈥檚 not triggering or worsening depressive symptoms in their child. He also said parents should continue to encourage healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle.

Cooper had one other message to parents with children who have obesity or overweight: They and their kids shouldn鈥檛 be ashamed.

鈥淣obody should be ashamed of it. Human beings become obese because of our biology,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淧arents should understand that they shouldn鈥檛 blame themselves and they shouldn鈥檛 blame their kids for being overweight.鈥�