Teen obesity rates in the United States are on the rise, causing significant impacts on adolescents and their families. In response to this, there is a pressing need for new solutions to support teens. The recent FDA approval of a weight loss drug for use in children offers a new tool in the fight against this serious, chronic, and progressive disease.

Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company, announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of their weight loss drug Wegovy for children. This marks an expansion of the drug’s approval, as it was previously only approved for use in adults last year.

According to clinical trial results, adolescents aged 12 to 17 who received the weekly injection of the weight loss drug lost an average of 14% of their body weight over 64 weeks. This is similar to the results seen in adult trials, where participants lost 15% of their body weight after 68 weeks.

Since its release in 2022, Wegovy and its sister drug Ozempic have gained widespread popularity due to their effectiveness in helping with weight loss. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has credited the drug for his own body transformation, and there are rumors that Hollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian have also used it.

However, there are some doubts regarding the long-term efficacy of Wegovy since recent research found that users would gain back the weight they lost if they stop using the medication.

According to Dr. Aaron Kelly, a pediatric obesity expert at the University of Minnesota, the rate of obesity among teenagers in the United States is on the rise and is a significant concern for both teens and their families.

“We need new options to support teens,” and the FDA’s approval of this weight loss drug provides “an additional tool to address this serious, chronic, progressive disease”.

In the experiment, conducted by the University of Minnesota, 201 obese children received an injection once a week.

More than two-thirds of the participants took Wegovy, while the other third received counseling for weight reduction but no medication.

The average weight of the teens at the start was 235 lbs. Over the course of the 16-month trial, 33 pounds on average were dropped in the group who took Wegovy.

One-third of the teens who took the drug lost at least one-fifth of their body weight.

The jab was safe, however, it may cause nausea and vomiting.

After the study was over, the participants were also followed up for three months.

Both groups saw weight increase throughout this period, although the medication group’s growth was more noticeable.

Teenage dosages are the same size as adult dosages. Teenagers will start with a 0.25mg injection once a week, which can be given in the arm or thigh.

The dosage size rises each month until the fourth month when it reaches a maintenance level of 2.4 mg.

Most people get Wegovy through a prescription, and most insurance plans will cover it.

Some people who aren’t overweight but still want to use either drug will have to pay up to $1,000 for it.

However, getting the jab might be difficult. There is a shortage of Wegovy right now, and Americans haven’t been able to start a new treatment course for more than a month.

Ozempic, the sister drug to Wegovy, has gained popularity as an alternative. Both drugs are produced by Novo Nordisk and contain the active ingredient semaglutide.

Ozempic, a drug originally approved for the management of type 2 diabetes, has seen increased usage as an off-label treatment for weight loss. Its popularity has led to shortages of drugs in some areas.

Semaglutide was first used to treat diabetes. When blood sugar levels are high, it helps the pancreas produce the appropriate amount of insulin.

However, scientists discovered that it also reduced hunger, resulting in weight reduction. When a person consumes food, cells in the gut begin producing glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

This goes to the hypothalamus, an almond-shaped structure in the middle of the brain that is activated to produce sensations of fullness or saeity.

The process instructs the body to stop eating, although it only lasts a few minutes. Semaglutide maintains it for days.

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