If you’ve been scrolling TikTok or Instagram at all over the last year or so, there’s a good chance you’ve seen posts talking about weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy. Or maybe you’ve been driving down the highway and seen a billboard for “Get Your Weight Loss Medication Now!” Have you ever wondered what these are and why we’re seeing so many advertisements for them? 

Obesity rates in the United States have risen sharply over the last few decades. Today, 33% of adults and 20% children are affected by obesity. It is an overwhelming health concern for some families and weight can be a focus.

Lifestyle Changes

Before we dive into weight-loss drugs, the most important thing when it comes to overall health is lifestyle. These are things kids and families can do in their everyday life that can have a major impact on their health and well-being. Lifestyle changes should be the basis of all weight loss and weight management programs, especially for children and teens. 

Here at Children’s Wisconsin, we focus on the 4,3,2,1,0 program. This means: 

• 4 family meals a week
  
  
• 3 meals a day
  
  
• 2 hours or less of sitting time in front of a screen
  
  
• 1 hour of movement of physical activity
  
  
• 0 sweetened beverages most days

You can watch this video to learn more. 

Weight-Loss Medication

Medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, Saxenda and Wegovy are a class of drug known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). These were originally designed to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. 

The FDA recently approved these drugs for kids 12 and older — Liraglutide (Saxenda) in 2020 and Semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic) in 2023. These approvals are meant for kids who are severely overweight (a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile) and who have other health problems due to their weight. According to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), between 2020 and 2023, the number of teens and young adults who were using these medications rose from 8,722 to 60,567 — that’s a nearly 600% increase. When combined with lifestyle changes, GLP-1s can help people lose weight and decrease the risk for chronic health concerns.

How Do They Work?

When a person eats, the carbohydrates are broken down into sugars. Your pancreas then releases insulin, which helps move the sugars from your blood into your cells where they are used for energy. In people with diabetes, their body doesn’t produce enough insulin — GLP-1s help correct that.

In people without diabetes who take a GLP-1, that extra insulin helps move more sugar into the cells and keeps blood sugar levels from spiking. But that’s not all. GLP-1s also reduce hunger signals in the brain. And they slow down how fast the stomach empties, so people feel full more quickly and for longer than they normally would. These actions collectively help control blood sugar spikes after meals, reduce appetite and contribute to weight loss.

When starting this medication, your teen starts at a low dose and slowly increases to what is called a maintenance dose. The amount of the maintenance dose depends on how your teen responds to the medication. It can take anywhere from two to five months to get to the maintenance dose. Your prescribing health care provider may have your teen return for follow-up visits every couple months to monitor how they are responding. At those visits, they may take weight, height, BMI, heart rate and blood pressure measurements to make sure everything is okay.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Like any drugs, there can be side effects. Common ones include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, especially if the teen is not following the nutritional recommendations. Other side effects are dehydration, pancreatitis and gall bladder concerns. These can be life-threatening, so it’s important you speak with your child’s primary care provider before starting these medications. Teens who have a health history of pancreatitis or have a family history of medullary thyroid cancer cannot take these medications.

GLP-1s can also interact with other medications. The prescribing health care provider should review your teen’s health history and what medications they are on to make sure that there are no interactions.

Who Should I Talk to About My Teen’s Weight?

A person’s weight is obviously a sensitive subject. If your teen brings up their weight or body image as a concern, it’s important to be welcoming and supportive without causing self-doubt and worry. Your teen’s primary care provider or pediatrician is a great resource. They know your teen best and can provide information and resources that may be beneficial to their health and success. They can also refer you to a doctor who specializes in weight management if necessary.

Children’s Wisconsin has many providers who are trained to care for obesity and weight management care in children. Our multidisciplinary team includes pediatric gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, dieticians and nurse practitioners who work together to make sure your child receives comprehensive care.