Ozempic-like drugs found to be safe and effective for children with obesity, without diabetes

Ozempic-like drugs found to be safe and effective for children with obesity, without diabetes by University of Western Ontario edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin Sadie Harley Scientific Editor Meet our editorial team Behind our editorial process Andrew Zinin Chief Editor Meet our editorial team Behind our editorial process Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies.

Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread The GIST Add as preferred source New research being presented at the International Congress on Obesity ICO2026 , hosted by the World Obesity Federation WOF in Mexico City, Mexico 15–17 July , shows that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists GLP-1 RAs for weight loss in children of various ages without diabetes are safe and effective.

The study is by Dr.

Manpreet Kaur Oberoi of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues.

GLP-1 RAs have recently been approved in multiple jurisdictions for weight management in children without diabetes aged 12 and older.

However, their safety and efficacy remain unclear.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the safety and efficacy of GLP-1 RAs in children with obesity but without diabetes.

The authors searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL and Embase databases through May 2025 for randomized controlled trials of GLP-1 RAs in children without diabetes who had obesity.

They assessed effects on weight, body mass index standard deviation score BMI-SDS also known as BMI z-score , cardiometabolic outcomes blood pressure, heart rate , health-related quality of life HRQoL and safety outcomes adverse events .

Two reviewers screened studies, extracted data and assessed bias.

Statistical analysis combined results from all included studies to estimate the average effect of GLP-1 medications compared with placebo or standard care.

Primary outcomes focused on efficacy e.g., weight and cardiometabolic effects , while secondary outcomes focused on safety.

A total of 1,095 studies were screened, and nine studies involving 756 participants were included.

Four studies were considered small, with 12–44 participants and durations of 5–24 weeks.

The other five were considered large, with 55–251 participants and durations of 52–68 weeks.

Three trials were conducted in the U.S., one in Germany, one across Sweden and Austria, and four involved international consortia.

Three trials examined exenatide, five examined liraglutide and one examined semaglutide.

Various GLP-1 RAs are approved for use in children aged 12 and older.

The mean age of participants across this meta-analysis was 14–15 years, and the age range across all studies was 6–18 years.

Although the initial search identified 1,095 records using broad search terms, only nine studies met the eligibility criteria.

This reflects the limited number of GLP-1 RA trials conducted specifically for pediatric obesity, as many studies identified during screening focused on pediatric diabetes, which was not the population of interest for this review.

BMI-SDS is a tool doctors use to understand how a child's weight compares with that of other children of the same age and sex while allowing for normal growth.

A lower BMI-SDS means a child's weight is moving closer to the expected range for their age and height.

In this study, children who received GLP-1 receptor agonists showed greater improvement in BMI-SDS than those who did not receive treatment, suggesting these medicines helped improve weight status beyond what would be expected from growth alone.

Across all ages and weights, the mean weight loss per child was just over 5 kg 11 pounds , or 5.08 kg 11.2 pounds .

This represents the average difference between children who received a GLP-1 medication and those who did not, rather than the exact change for an individual child.

For example, if two children both started at 95 kg 209 pounds , the child receiving a GLP-1 medication would weigh about 90 kg 198 pounds at follow-up, while the child in the comparison group would remain around 95 kg 209 pounds —an average difference of about 5 kg 11 pounds between the groups.

Among GLP-1 RA agents, semaglutide showed the most pronounced mean weight loss, at -17.75 kg -39 pounds , compared with exenatide at -3.53 kg -7.8 pounds and liraglutide at -3.12 kg -6.9 pounds .

Children treated with GLP-1 RAs also saw an average systolic blood pressure decrease of 2.24 mm Hg and, in the three studies assessing heart rate, an average drop of 2.83 beats per minute.

Children receiving GLP-1 RAs also saw quality-of-life scores increase.

The only significant safety concern was an increased risk of nausea, which was three times higher than in children given placebo.

Other reported adverse events, including vomiting and diarrhea, were not significantly increased compared with placebo, although a numerical trend toward higher incidence was observed.

Serious adverse events such as pancreatitis, gallstones and appendicitis were rare and occurred at similar rates in children receiving GLP-1 medications and those receiving placebo or standard care.

Oberoi concludes, "This study showed that the use of GLP-1 RAs in children aged 12 and older with obesity but without diabetes was significantly effective in lowering BMI, weight, heart rate and systolic BP and in improving quality of life, while maintaining a manageable safety profile.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to report changes in heart rate and quality-of-life scores for children treated with GLP-1 RAs.

Larger, longer-term trials are needed to confirm sustained efficacy, optimize dosing strategies, evaluate long-term safety and more thoroughly assess patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes." Although GLP-1 receptor agonists are currently approved for obesity only in individuals aged 12 and older, younger children may receive these medications as part of carefully regulated clinical trials.

Participants continue to receive the standard of care, with the investigational treatment evaluated under strict ethical and regulatory oversight.

These trials are conducted to assess the safety, efficacy and appropriate dosing of the medication before it can be considered for regulatory approval in younger pediatric populations.

More information Meta-analysis shows that use of GLP-1 drugs to treat weight loss in children with obesity but without diabetes is safe and effective, International Congress on Obesity 2026, icocongress.com/ Key medical concepts ObesityNausea Clinical categories PediatricsChildren's healthWeight managementEndocrinologyClinical pharmacology Provided by University of Western Ontario Who's behind this story?

Sadie Harley BSc Life Sciences & Ecology.

Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.

Full profile Andrew Zinin Master's in physics with research experience.

Long-time science news enthusiast.

Plays key role in Science X's editorial success.

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Peptides referenced: Semaglutide, Liraglutide, Exenatide, Glucagon, GLP-1.