The World Health Organization has issued new global guidelines advising that children under the age of 10 should not receive obesity drugs or GLP-1 weight-loss injections, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy. While most of these medications are currently licensed only for older children and adolescents, some physicians prescribe them off-label for younger patients, and pharmaceutical companies are actively testing them in children as young as six.
According to the WHO, medical interventions like drug therapy and bariatric surgery should not be the primary approach for this age group. Instead, care should focus on promoting healthy eating habits and increased physical activity. The guidelines also suggest that digital tools, including activity trackers and active video games, may offer some benefit based on the limited evidence currently available.
Dr. Luz De Rigil, the WHO’s Director of Nutrition and Food Safety, emphasized the strength of this recommendation, stating that obesity medicines, surgical options, and weight-management devices are not advised for children under 10. She noted that while these treatments might be suitable for older adolescents who have failed lifestyle interventions and are mentally and physically prepared, the evidence for younger children is insufficient.
Laurence Grummer-Strawn, head of Nutrition and Food Safety Actions at the WHO, expressed caution regarding the long-term use of these drugs in very young children. “If you are starting children very early on to using a GLP-1 or drugs like this, when does that stop?” he asked, noting that there is no clear evidence supporting the use of these medications as a temporary treatment before transitioning to dietary management later in life.
The guidelines address a growing public health crisis, with estimates indicating that 170 million children and adolescents worldwide are obese. This figure includes 70 million children aged five to nine, a demographic where obesity prevalence has quadrupled since 1990, rising from 2% to 8%. Additionally, in 2024, 35 million children under the age of five were classified as overweight. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
Active video games for kids? I remember those. They’re fun, but do they really work for weight loss?
How will this be enforced? Off-label prescribing is already rampant in some regions.
Seven-year-olds on Wegovy? That feels like a slippery slope to me.
Strong recommendation is good, but I worry about the long-term effects of these drugs on developing bodies.
But what about the parents working two jobs? Sometimes convenient options are all they have access to.
Finally, a sensible approach. Lifestyle changes should always come first for young kids.