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

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.