Weight-loss drugs for children: Breakthrough or cause for caution?

The Phase III STEP Young trial conducted by Novo Nordisk has shown promising results, with 40.4% of children receiving semaglutide moving below the obesity threshold after 68 weeks, compared to none in the placebo group. This reduction in body mass index (BMI) is clinically significant, particularly in children with severe obesity who are at risk of early-onset Type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and premature cardiovascular disease.

While the trial demonstrates that semaglutide can provide an important incremental benefit when added to lifestyle measures, the bigger question remains about whether pharmacological treatment should be started at such a young age, considering long-term safety, effects on nutrition and development, duration of treatment, affordability, and access.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Indian Express - Lifestyle's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.