Real-world findings suggest GLP-1 drugs offer health benefits for young people with diabetes

A recent study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Milan examined the real-world use of GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) drugs in children and young people with type 2 diabetes in Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg. These drugs, which include semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, and tirzepatide, are approved for treating type 2 diabetes in children as young as 10 and for weight management in older children and adolescents. However, little is known about the actual use of these drugs in this population.

Dr. Marie Auzanneau of Ulm University in Germany led the research, which analyzed data from 1,878 children and young people ages 6-24 with type 2 diabetes included between 2019 and 2025 in the Diabetes Prospective Follow-up registry. The study found that use of GLP-1 RAs rose from 6.3% in 2019 to 27.2% in 2025, with increased use across all age groups. GLP-1 RAs were prescribed to 14% of children with type 2 diabetes ages 6-12, 28% of those ages 12-18, and 29% of those ages 18-24.

Liraglutide was the most frequently prescribed GLP-1 RA, used by 11.8% of all young people with type 2 diabetes in 2025. The study evaluated the association between GLP-1 RA use and changes in BMI, blood pressure, and glycemic control. Of the 240 children and young people whose use of GLP-1 RAs was documented in the registry for at least two visits, 37% achieved a reduction of 5% or more in their BMI SDS (a measure of weight relative to age), and 25% achieved a reduction of at least 10%.

Average BMI SDS was 2.23, placing the majority in the obese range. Glycemic control improved, with a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of children and young people with hypertension from 60% to 52%.