New global guidelines warn against obesity drugs for children under 10
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises against giving obesity drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy to children under 10 years old. Instead, WHO recommends focusing on healthy eating and exercise for young children to manage obesity.Key Facts
- WHO says children under 10 should not use obesity drugs or weight-loss injections called GLP-1 medications.
- These drugs are usually approved only for older children or teens. Some doctors use them for younger kids, but this is not standard.
- WHO suggests healthy eating and physical activity as the main ways to address obesity in young children.
- About 170 million children and teens worldwide are obese, including 70 million kids aged 5 to 9.
- The number of obese children aged 5–9 has increased from 2% to 8% since 1990.
- In 2024, 35 million children under five were overweight.
- Some digital tools like activity trackers or games that encourage movement might help, but evidence is limited.
- WHO will keep studying this issue and update recommendations as new evidence emerges.
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