Prescriptions for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs among children under 12 in the United States have surged more than 300-fold since 2019, according to a study published on September 4, in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers analyzing national electronic health records found that doctors are increasingly turning to medications like Wegovy and Zepbound to treat younger patients suffering from severe obesity, despite the lack of formal U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for this age group.
Study Findings on Pediatric GLP-1 Prescriptions
The study, which examined more than 3.5 million children aged eight to 11 years with obesity but without diabetes, revealed that prescription rates for GLP-1 receptor agonists climbed from 0.03% in 2019 to 9.3% by June of the study period. During this timeframe, a total of 20,282 children received the medications, according to data pulled from the Epic Cosmos electronic health records database, which encompasses more than 300 million U.S. patients.
While the absolute number of children under 12 receiving these treatments remains low, the pace of adoption is accelerating rapidly, stated lead investigator and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Babak Orandi of NYU Langone Health. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy was the most frequently prescribed medication, alongside Novo’s Saxenda and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.
Clinical Guidelines and Patient Health Profiles
Although federal regulators have not approved GLP-1 drugs for children under 12, clinical guidelines permit their use for pediatric obesity in patients as young as eight years old under specific circumstances. The data indicates that 94% of the children prescribed these medications suffered from severe obesity, and approximately 65% presented with at least one related comorbidity, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea.
Dr. Orandi emphasized that long-term safety monitoring is essential to verify that the drugs remain both safe and effective for younger pediatric populations over extended periods.
Access Disparities in Pediatric Obesity Care
The study also uncovered significant socioeconomic disparities in treatment access. Children residing in higher-income communities were 55% more likely to be prescribed GLP-1 medications than those in lower-income areas.
“Physicians and health policymakers alike have a responsibility to ensure … these valuable and sometimes costly treatments become available to more than those who have access to health insurance and can afford to visit pediatric clinics,” said Allan Massie, co-author of the study and associate professor of surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.