Drugs Like Ozempic Shouldn’t Be Prescribed to Children

The world has always focused on appearances. The beauty of the human body and what it should look like in order for it to be admired has shifted over the centuries. Most recently, reaching popularity in the 90s, there has been a growing desire to be thin. With that desire came the production of weight loss drugs, and drugs being used for weight loss, such as Ozempic. The focus on thinness has led to many people trying to (and often succeeding in) losing weight. While this may be good and beneficial to those who were previously detrimentally obese, for far too many – including a vast majority of children and teens – it has led to them becoming morbidly thin. Unfortunately, children are even being prescribed drugs like Ozempic to lose that weight, only causing them to abuse the drug so that they can measure up to the impossible expectations of society, their peers, and social media.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a medication that not only assists in managing type 2 diabetes but also reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack, or death in individuals with both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Administered through a pre-filled pen, the medication is self-injected weekly into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.

In addition to its diabetes management benefits, Ozempic has been observed to lower appetite, contributing to weight loss when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Although not explicitly FDA-approved for weight loss, the medication has demonstrated high efficacy, with individuals in a trial experiencing an average weight loss of 7% of their body weight over 68 weeks when taking the common Ozempic dosage of 1.0 mg, alongside diet and exercise.

Diabetes medications similar to Ozempic include: Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Trulicity (dulaglutide), and Rybelsus (semaglutide). Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) are only used for weight loss, but any of these five medications may be prescribed for weight loss.

How do drugs like Ozempic work?

Ozempic works by imitating a hormone naturally found in the body. This imitation signals to the brain that you’re full and also slows down how quickly your body processes food. This slowing effect on digestion is similar to what happens after certain types of weight loss surgery.

When people use Ozempic to manage diabetes, losing weight is a common and expected outcome. It’s designed to be taken over a long period.

Why should drugs like Ozempic not be prescribed to children?

While there are children who suffer from being dangerously overweight, there is a concerning trend in society today. A recent article released by UCI Health highlights exactly why drugs like Ozempic should not be given to children. A team of experts from the University of California, Irvine, has expressed concerns about the use of weight-loss drugs, specifically glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), in treating childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. While acknowledging the potential benefits for children with morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes, the team is worried about the unintended consequences, such as inappropriate reductions in calorie intake. They highlight the risk of overuse and abuse among young people, including those with eating disorders or engaged in competitive sports. The team calls for careful study of the long-term use of these medications in youth and emphasizes the importance of addressing bioethical and real-world data issues. They advocate for multidisciplinary teams, updated guidelines, and enhanced training to ensure the proper use of these medications in pediatric care.

The prevalence of eating disorders among children and teens are higher than ever

NBC News released an article earlier this year that highlighted an increase in mental disorders among teens, including eating disorders.  According to the article, the pandemic has led to a significant increase in eating disorders among teens, particularly anorexia, despite the resumption of normal activities. Hospitalizations for eating disorders doubled among adolescent girls, according to the CDC.

A shocking revelation highlights the dire state children and teens are in:

Eating disorder-related health visits — which include hospital stays, pediatrician visits, telehealth talk therapy, and everything in between — more than doubled among people younger than 17 in the past five years, according to a recent report from the data company Trilliant Health. From 2018 through mid-2022, visits among this age group  jumped 107.4% across all eating disorders, from around 50,000 visits at the beginning of 2018 to more than 100,000 in 2022. Visits related to anorexia nervosa, which has the highest death rate of any mental illness, jumped 129.26%.

The pandemic exacerbated anxiety and depression, triggering or worsening eating disorders. While visits dipped slightly after a peak in 2021, they remain elevated. Experts emphasize the serious and complicated conditions of patients, with more severe mental and physical symptoms. The crisis is also notable for younger patients, and there are months-long waitlists for treatment, particularly impacting marginalized groups. Social media, especially platforms like TikTok, contributes to the problem by promoting harmful content that reinforces negative body image and encourages eating disorder behaviors. Experts call for better recognition, acceptance, and access to eating disorder care, addressing the broader crisis in mental health care for teens.

We all want our children to be healthy. Morbid obesity is dangerous, yes, but so is being severely underweight and emaciated. While being thin is seen as admirable and desirable in our society (which has not always been the case), the serious (mental and physical) health problems that come from being and wanting to be too thin are nothing to ignore. If your child needs help losing weight, you should not only consider affecting their diet and exercise, but also consider their mental health. An unhealthy body often stems from an unhealthy relationship with food and body image. The health of your child is your priority, and it is important that it is their priority too, despite how social media and society today emphasize one’s physical appearance instead. If you believe a prescription is necessary, keep a close eye on how it is being used by your child.

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