Weight Loss Drug : Obesity is increasing rapidly among young children. Due to this, their bodies are becoming victims of many diseases. Many parents take the help of medicines to reduce obesity in children, but they are also worried about how safe these medicines are for children.
A new study has put an end to their worries. According to a study, a weight loss drug is completely safe for children under 12 years of age who are obese. Let us tell you that in the last few years, weight loss GLP-1 agonists have become very popular all over the world. Due to this, there has been a shortage of stock. Despite being expensive, people are using it. But very little research has been done on how these new drugs work on small children.
How safe is obesity reduction medicine?
According to the WHO, obesity in children and adolescents has quadrupled since 1990. Yet there is no definitive drug to treat obesity in children. The study focused on an older GLP-1 agonist called liraglutide, which is sold under the brand name Saxenda by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which also makes the blockbuster semaglutide medicines Ozempic and Wegovy.
what is study
The Phase 3 trial in the US, funded by Novo Nordisk, was the first trial to examine the effects of liraglutide on children under 12 years of age. It included 82 obese children aged 6 to 12 years, some of whom were randomly given daily injections of liraglutide, while others were given a placebo. The children were also encouraged to exercise and eat a healthy diet.
According to the study, after a little over a year, 46 percent of the children taking the drug showed at least a 5 percent reduction in their body mass index (BMI). Only 9% of the children in the placebo group showed such a reduction in BMI, which also takes height into account. It was used because children of this age grow rapidly. Experts said that some children taking the drug also experienced side effects such as vomiting and nausea, which were similar to the side effects in adults.
What are the alerts regarding obesity
Senior author Claudia Fox of the University of Minnesota said that in obese children, people are told to focus more on diet and exercise, but the new study has raised hopes that this medicine can help in making children more healthy and better. However, a warning has been issued regarding weight loss injections.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, please consult the concerned expert.
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