Emily Brindley | (TNS) The Dallas Morning News DALLAS — Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are increasingly popular among adults, who have flocked to the new medication as an alternative to the traditional — and often ineffective — advice to “eat less and exercise more.” Related Articles Health | Homebound seniors living alone often slip through health system’s cracks Health | Rural governments often fail to communicate with residents who aren’t proficient in English Health | Some breast cancer patients can avoid certain surgeries, studies suggest Health | Who gets obesity drugs covered by insurance? In North Carolina, it helps if you’re on Medicaid Health | How the FDA allows companies to add secret ingredients to our food As of this summer, about 12% U.S. adults said they had been on a GLP-1 for either weight loss or for treatment of another condition, according to a poll by KFF Health News. Celebrities have taken the drugs. The term “Ozempic face” has entered the lexicon. And the drugs have been in such high demand that counterfeit — and sometimes dangerous — versions have popped up, too. As the drugs, which are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have gained name recognition among adults, they’ve also become more and more popular with children and adolescents. About one in every five 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, too. 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’s 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. “Both in kids and adults, we just don’t know. These meds are new enough that we need more time,” Straughn said. Wegovy, which is the weight-loss equivalent to the drug Ozempic, is approved by the FDA for use in kids as young as 12. It hasn’t 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 aged 6 to 12. That type of study is encouraging for GLP-1 use in kids. “Early intervention is a good thing, and that’s what pediatricians hang our hats on,” Straughn said. “So this absolutely can be a tool.” But there’s still a lot of unknowns. Dr. Dan Cooper — a researcher and pediatrics professor at the University of California, Irvine’s School of Medicine — 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’s particularly because there isn’t 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’s bodies and brains aren’t given the nutrients to develop properly. “During 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,” Cooper said. “By the time you’re a young adult or beyond, you can’t do that again.” It’s not clear whether GLP-1 use in childhood or adolescence could have an impact on long-term development. And that’s exactly Cooper’s point. “What’s the long-term effect? Nobody knows. So this is my concern, that we should be very very careful about using these medications,” Cooper said. Overall, Cooper said, parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask their children’s doctors about GLP-1s and they shouldn’t be afraid to have their children use the drugs — when it’s appropriate. For children and adolescents who do begin using GLP-1s, Cooper said parents should keep an eye out to make sure it’s 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’t be ashamed. “Nobody should be ashamed of it. Human beings become obese because of our biology,” Cooper said. “Parents should understand that they shouldn’t blame themselves and they shouldn’t blame their kids for being overweight.” ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.