One drug, semaglutide, may be particularly effective in treating childhood obesity, according to new US research. 72.5% of overweight and obese adolescents who participated in the study lost weight.
- In France, obesity has particularly increased among the youngest in recent years, going from 5.4% in 2012 to 9.2% in 2020 among 18-24 year olds, according to the 2021 ObEpi-Roch survey.
- 34% of children aged 2 to 7 and 21% of 8-17 year olds are overweight or obese in France.
- In the total population, nearly one in two French people (47.3%) is overweight or obese, according to figures from the League against obesity in 2020.
Childhood obesity is on the rise worldwide. Obese adolescents have a reduced quality and life expectancy and are at higher risk of serious diseases. They may also suffer from obesity-related complications, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Additionally, obese teens also tend to experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
Fortunately, a drug approved for overweight or obese adults called semaglutide may also help with weight loss in teens, according to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Childhood obesity: this drug helps to better control your diet
“Usually we make lifestyle recommendations: eat more vegetables; don’t eat fried foods; don’t drink soda. But unfortunately, we live in a very obesogenic environment, so it can be very difficult to make these changes. There is a real need for safe and effective drugs to treat obesity.”explains one of the study’s authors, Silva Arslanian, professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in a university statement.
This is where semaglutide comes in. The drug acts on the appetite regulation system. How ? By mimicking a hormone that targets areas of the brain responsible for suppressing appetite (glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1), helping patients better control their eating. Last year, health authorities approved the drug for use in chronic weight management in adults.
To determine if similar effects were possible in adolescents, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh recruited 201 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 who were obese or overweight. The latter received either subcutaneous injections of semaglutide (2.4 mg) once a week or a placebo. In addition, they all received advice on diet and lifestyle to improve their health, focusing on nutrition and increasing physical activity.
Weight loss: a very promising drug for future treatments
The team found that after 68 weeks, 72.5% of people receiving semaglutide were able to see a weight reduction of at least 5% compared to the placebo group, where only 17% had noticeable weight loss. . Further analysis demonstrated that participants who received semaglutide had significant improvement in cardiovascular risk factors such as waist circumference, blood glucose markers, cholesterol and lipid markers, and liver enzymes compared to placebo group. The only markers that did not generate relevant results were high-density lipoprotein (or “good” cholesterol) and blood pressure.
“The results are incredible”, welcomes Silva Arslanian. The team points out that semaglutide is the first drug of its kind to lead to such improvements in quality of life in obese adolescents, which holds great promise for future weight loss treatments.
