Two out of five kids on semaglutide dropped below the obesity threshold in 68 weeks, while not a single child on placebo did. Most of these children started with severe class II or III obesity, and diet and exercise advice alone was never going to fix that. Safety held up with no red flags for growth or puberty, so withholding an effective medicine from kids facing early heart disease and shortened lives makes no sense.
Handing appetite-suppressing drugs to grade schoolers because society lacks the spine to regulate junk food is a moral failure, not a medical breakthrough. Children are still growing physically, cognitively and emotionally, and rapid weight loss during those years carries real risks that long-term data has not answered. Without dietitians, growth and micronutrient monitoring and psychological support, prescribing is racing ahead of the safeguards.
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