GLP-1 prescriptions for obese children under 12 surge 310-fold since 2019, though absolute numbers remain low
Source Summary
A new study reports that GLP-1 weight-loss medications Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound were prescribed to U.S. children under age 12 with obesity at a rate 310 times higher in June 2026 than in 2019, when prescriptions for this age group first began. Despite this dramatic increase, the absolute number of young children receiving these drugs remains low.
Why it matters
The data demonstrates a significant shift in treatment approaches for childhood obesity in the United States, with GLP-1 drugs moving from non-existent to rapidly expanding use in young children.
