Reuters
U.S. experts recommend weight-loss drugs for obese children
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on Monday recommended use of weight-loss drugs in children ages 12 years or older for treatment of obesity, which impacts about 14.4 million kids and adolescents in the United States and can lead to serious health complications. “I think they are important because there are a number of misunderstandings about exactly what causes obesity and there are some unintended biases, even by medical providers with regard to childhood obesity,” said Dr. Marc Michalsky of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, a co-author of the guidelines. The expert group said that therapies such as weight loss pill orlistat, Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide – an injected diabetes treatment repurposed for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy – and the older, generic diabetes medicine metformin could be given in addition to changes in health behavior and lifestyle.