Obese children as young as six could benefit from weight-loss jabs
Weight-loss jabs could be given to children as young as six
- New research suggests that weight-loss jabs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, could potentially benefit obese children as young as six.
- Currently, these GLP-1 agonist medications are only recommended for adults on the NHS in England, despite being approved for adolescents in the US.
- A US meta-analysis of 18 trials found the drugs significantly improved blood sugar control and weight in obese children and those with type 2 diabetes.
- However, the study highlighted that gastrointestinal adverse events, including nausea and vomiting, were significantly more common among young people taking the drugs.
- Experts are calling for longer follow-up periods and more real-world studies to establish the long-term effects of GLP-1 drugs in children and adolescents.