In the first 10 months of 2023, 1,268 Wegovy prescriptions were written for adolescents with obesity — a more than 50-fold increase from 2022, according to an exclusive Reuters report.
Wegovy, Novo Nordisk's weight management drug, was approved for adolescent use in December 2022, and by the next month, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended weight loss drugs for children with obesity who are at least 12.
Health technology company Komodo Health compiled U.S. insurance claims data to find the prescriptions. The results show a willingness to embrace the GLP-1 but also opportunity for more patients, since forecasts show about 14.7 million U.S. children have obesity, Reuters reported.
Past research has found nearly 1 in 10 children have used nonprescription weight loss products that are ineffective and potentially harmful. In late 2023, a social media trend also promoted "budget Ozempic," or the use of laxatives and stool softeners for weight loss.