Lifestyle Treatments as Important as Medications in Managing Obesity in Kids, Teens

An estimated 17 million U.S. adolescents and young adults have been found to be eligible for GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment, though many lack insurance or a routine place for healthcare.In a systematic review and meta-analysis, treatment with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide plus counseling was associated with the largest BMI reduction and BMI z score reduction.Lifestyle treatments alone were also associated with substantial decreases in BMI and BMI z score versus no structured weight management plan.

Pharmacotherapies paired with lifestyle treatments were linked with the greatest short-term weight reduction in kids and teens with obesity, a systematic review and network meta-analysis showed.

Treatment with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide (Wegovy) plus counseling was associated with the largest body mass index (BMI) reduction (mean difference -8.31, 95% CI -12.33 to -4.28) and BMI z score reduction (mean difference -1.80, 95% CI -2.39 to -1.21), reported Bjorn Tam, PhD, of Hong Kong Baptist University, and colleagues in JAMA Pediatrics.

While semaglutide with counseling "emerged as the most potent intervention ... this estimate comes from a single trial with relatively few participants," the authors noted. As a result, they graded the certainty of evidence for this comparison as moderate.