Weight-loss drug effective for kids as young as 6: Study

Sep 11

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Weight loss injections have become increasingly popular among adults and they’ve been proven to work. Now, there’s evidence that those drugs could be used to treat obesity in kids, as well.

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Novo Nordisk tested its drug Saxenda on kids between 6 and 12 years old, and found that it helped them reach a healthier weight.

Like other weight loss drugs, Saxenda started as a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes under the name Victoza. However, it quickly became popular for its weight loss effects. Instead of using semaglutide, like Ozempic and Wegovy, or tirzepatide, like Zepbound and Mounjaro, Saxenda uses liraglutide.

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Right now, the only options for treating childhood obesity are diet and exercise. Novo Nordisk is asking U.S. regulators to expand use of the medication to kids as young as 6.

Like the other weight loss drugs approved for adult use, Saxenda is an injection and the most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also like with the other medications, stopping its use can cause kids to gain some weight back. Still, multiple experts say it’s a step in the direction of treating childhood obesity.

Tags: Children, Health, Health Care, Ozempic, prescription drugs, Weight Loss

Lauren Taylor

WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR AMONG ADULTS – AND THEY’VE BEEN PROVEN TO WORK.

NOW – THERE’S EVIDENCE THEY COULD BE USED TO TREAT OBESITY IN KIDS.

NOVO NORDISK TESTED ITS DRUG “SAXENDA” ON KIDS BETWEEN 6 AND 12 YEARS OLD… AND IT FOUND THAT IT HELPED THEM REACH A HEALTHIER WEIGHT.

LIKE THE OTHERS – SAXENDA STARTED AS A DRUG USED TO TREAT TYPE 2 DIABETES – UNDER THE NAME VICTOZA – BUT QUICKLY BECAME POPULAR FOR ITS WEIGHT LOSS EFFECTS.

INSTEAD OF USING SEMAGLUTIDE, LIKE OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY… OR TIRZEPATIDE (ter-ZEP-uh-tide), LIKE ZEPBOUND AND MOUNJARO (moon-JAR-o) – SAXENDA USES LIRAGLUTIDE (LIR-uh-GLOO-tide).

RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY OPTIONS FOR TREATING CHILDHOOD OBESITY ARE DIET AND EXERCISE… BUT NOVO NORDISK IS ASKING U-S REGULATORS TO EXPAND USE OF THE MEDICATION TO KIDS AS YOUNG AS 6.

LIKE THOSE OTHER WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS APPROVED FOR ADULT USE – SAXENDA IS An INJECTION AND THE MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS ARE NAUSEA, VOMITING, AND DIARRHEA.

AND ALSO LIKE WITH THE OTHER MEDICATIONS – STOPPING ITS USE CAN CAUSE KIDS TO GAIN SOME WEIGHT BACK.

STILL, MULTIPLE EXPERTS SAY IT’S A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF TREATING CHILDHOOD OBESITY.