WHO endorses lifestyle changes over GLP-1 drugs in child obesity fight
The guidance urges diet, exercise and behavior changes first, while allowing GLP-1 drugs only for older adolescents after supervised programs fail.
- On Wednesday, The World Health Organization released its first global guidelines recommending diet, exercise, and counseling over weight-loss drugs for managing rising obesity among children and adolescents.
- Obesity prevalence among those aged 5 to 19 has quadrupled since 1990; about 400 million people were overweight in 2024, including 170 million living with obesity.
- For children under 10, WHO endorsed diet, physical activity, and behavioral support instead of medication, while adolescents aged 10 to 19 may consider drugs only after supervised interventions fail.
- Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Saxenda are already approved for adolescents 12 and older in the United States and European Union, while bariatric surgery is an option after six months of failed treatment.
- Luz Regil, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, noted there is "currently insufficient evidence" on GLP-1 drugs, though researchers are monitoring efficacy trials for potential reassessment.
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For children and adolescents aged between ten and 19 years, drugs such as Ozempic could be a viable route if other approaches had failed, the World Health Organization explains.
So-called GLP-1 drugs change obesity therapy worldwide. However, in children, the WHO now calls for restraint.
In December 2025, the WHO recommended the use of anti-obesity drugs in adults. However, on Wednesday, October 7, the UN agency called for a clear distinction to be made with the situation of children and adolescents. In these cases, both these drugs and surgery are not recommended, with a few exceptions among those over the age of 10. - WHO does not recommend drugs and surgery against obesity before the age of 10 (Health and well-being).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is publishing new recommendations for the management of obesity in children under 19 years of age.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that obesity in children and adolescents aged 5-19 has quadrupled globally since 1990, with an estimated 170 million of them living with this chronic disease by 2024. According to the WHO, the prevalence in this age group increased from 2 percent in 1990 to 8 percent in 2024. Of those affected, 70 million were children aged 5-9 and 100 million adolescents aged 10-19. The figures were released aft…
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