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WHO Warns Against Obesity Drugs for Young Children
Confirmed
In Short: The World Health Organization (WHO) has released guidelines advising against the use of obesity drugs for children under 10.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidelines warning against the use of obesity drugs for children under 10 years old, according to a report by the BBC.
Dr Luz De Rigil, Director of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, stated, 'For children under 10, WHO does not recommend obesity medicines, bariatric surgery, or weight-management devices. This is a strong recommendation.'
The guidelines, which are the first of their kind, also advise caution regarding the use of GLP-1 weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy in children under 10.
The WHO's stance is based on the lack of clear evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of these medications in young children. Dr De Rigil noted, 'We are very cautious about jumping in without clear evidence.'
The prevalence of obesity among children under 10 has quadrupled since 1990, rising from 2% to 8%. In 2024, 35 million children under five were overweight, according to the WHO.
Obesity in children increases the risk of various diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The WHO also notes that obesity can lead to stigmatization, discrimination, and bullying.
A recent analysis from Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago found that GLP-1s may be linked to nutritional deficiencies in children, particularly a lack of vitamin D. Dr Justin Ryder, the study’s senior author, emphasized the need for proactive nutrition counseling as children grow.
Dr Ryder, an associate professor of surgery and pediatrics at Northwestern University, commented, 'As appropriate pediatric use of GLP-1s becomes more widespread, we need to understand the risks during periods of rapid growth and pubertal development.'
Dr Laurence Grummer-Strawn, the unit head of Nutrition and Food Safety Action at WHO, expressed concerns about adherence to drug regimens and long-term effects when children start treatment so young.
The WHO is monitoring data on long-term anti-obesity medications in children as it becomes available. Dr Maria Nieves Garcia Casal, a WHO scientist, explained, 'That’s why it’s conditional.'
The WHO guidelines recommend a 'person-centered' approach for managing obesity in children and adolescents, which includes nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral management. For adolescents, obesity drugs could be used if the child is mentally and physically prepared.
The WHO's recommendations are based on evaluating 35 scholarly review articles, but research is still evolving, especially for pharmaceutical-based interventions in children.
What this adds
The WHO's guidelines highlight the need for further research on the long-term effects of obesity drugs in children.
The guidelines also underscore the importance of addressing obesity through lifestyle changes rather than solely relying on medication.
What's confirmed
- Dr Luz De Rigil, Director of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, said: "For children under 10, WHO does not recommend obesity medicines, bariatric surgery or weight-management devices. This is a strong recommendation."
- Estimates suggest 170 million children and adolescents worldwide are obese.
What's still developing
- Most of these medications are only licensed for children or adolescents older than this, but some doctors prescribe them off-label, and drug companies are testing them in children as young as six.
- The WHO notably added GLP-1s to its recommended guidelines for obesity treatment for adults in 2025, a step in what the global health agency said is a “conditional” sign of approval for the cutting-edge medications that have become so popular.
- The picture for children is a bit more complicated, WHO scientists said.
- But that hasn’t stopped prescriptions, as a study published in the journal, Pediatrics, reported that the number of children aged eight to 11 on GLP-1s “increased sharply” between 2019 and 2026.
- “WHO recognizes this is a rapidly evolving field,” said De Regil.
- Obesity in children is projected to increase most rapidly in lower- and middle-income countries, where access to healthy foods and exercise now mirrors that in upper-income countries.
- The growing global burden of overweight and obese children has led the WHO to issue guidelines for what it terms “person-centered” care, which is a combination of nutrition, physical activity, behavioral management, and in some cases, medication or even surgery.
- Several blockbuster drugs now dominate the weight loss market.
- Among 5- to 19-year-olds, the prevalence of obesity has surged globally, rising from 2 percent in 1990 to 8 percent in 2024.