---
title: GLP-1 Prescriptions Rise 310-Fold Among Young Children With Obesity
description: A new study in Pediatrics finds GLP-1 weight-loss prescriptions for U.S. children ages 8 to 11 with obesity rose 310-fold since 2019, though still rare.
author: Darie Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-09-04T16:35:26.623Z
updated: 2026-09-04T16:35:26.630Z
canonical: https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/glp1-young-children-obesity-study
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/glp1-young-children-obesity-252285.webp
categories: Health
content_type: News
region: United States
publication: Rich Health Magazine
schema_type: Article
---

The share of young children with obesity who are prescribed [GLP-1 weight-loss drugs](https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/glp-1-consumer-spending-fitness-shift) climbed 310-fold in seven and a half years, according to a new study published online September 4, 2026 in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers at NYU Langone Health found that among U.S. children ages 8 to 11 with obesity and no diabetes, the proportion prescribed a GLP-1 receptor agonist rose from 0.03 percent in 2019 to 9.3 percent in 2026.

The study is described as the first national overview of GLP-1 drug use in this age group. The medications involved, Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound, were [originally developed for adults](https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/mounjaro-cardiovascular-risk-fda-approval) and are now reaching a much younger population as obesity treatment guidelines have shifted.

## The Numbers Are Still Small in Absolute Terms

Despite the steep climb, GLP-1 prescribing among young children remains uncommon. Over the full study period, 20,282 children ages 8 to 11 were prescribed a GLP-1 drug, the researchers found. Younger children in this age range were less likely to be prescribed the drugs than adolescents ages 12 to 17.

An estimated 20 percent of children in the United States have obesity, defined as a body mass index above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex, without having diabetes.

## Guidelines Already Allow the Drugs From Age 8

Clinical guidelines permit the use of GLP-1 medications for obesity in children as young as 8. Girls were more likely than boys to receive prescriptions, the study found.

Babak J. Orandi, MD, PhD, the study's lead investigator and an obesity-medicine specialist and associate professor in the Departments of Surgery and Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, framed the trend as a rapid change from a small base rather than a widespread shift in how children are treated.

"Our study offers the first national overview in young children of the use of GLP-1 drugs to fight the obesity epidemic in the United States and shows that while the absolute numbers of children under the age of 12 receiving GLP-1 treatment is still low, GLP-1 use is accelerating rapidly," Orandi said.

## Most Children Prescribed the Drugs Already Had Health Complications

The study found that 93.7 percent of the children prescribed GLP-1s had severe obesity, and 65.2 percent had at least one obesity-related illness, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea. About a quarter of them were also prediabetic.

Orandi said the drugs can be effective at treating obesity and its metabolic complications, including weight loss, better blood sugar regulation, and appetite suppression. He said that while parents may hesitate to put a young child on the medications, leaving childhood obesity untreated carries its own long-term risks, including diabetes, hypertension, and liver disease in early adulthood and middle age.

"The careful use of GLP-1s remains a valuable tool in confronting the obesity epidemic among young Americans," Orandi said.

## FAQ

**Q: Is there a kids version of Ozempic?**
The study did not examine Ozempic specifically. It looked at the weight-loss drugs Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound, which belong to the same GLP-1 class.

**Q: Can a 12 year old take GLP-1 drugs?**
Yes. The study found that adolescents ages 12 to 17 were more likely than children ages 8 to 11 to be prescribed GLP-1 drugs for obesity, consistent with guidelines that permit their use from age 8 onward.

**Q: Are GLP-1 weight-loss drugs safe for children?**
The study did not set out to evaluate the drugs' safety. Orandi, the lead researcher, said the medications can help treat obesity and related health problems in children, and that doctors weigh those benefits against the long-term risks of leaving childhood obesity untreated, including diabetes, hypertension, and liver disease later in life.