Doctors in Germany are currently advocating for the use of weight-loss injections and medications for children and adolescents. Susann Weihrauch-Blüher, Vice President of the German Obesity Society, told the news magazine “Focus” that these medicines represent a “completely new situation.”
In Germany, it is estimated that two million children and teenagers are overweight, with approximately 800,000 suffering from pathological obesity. Furthermore, another 200,000 are classified as extremely obese. This condition significantly increases the risk of severe illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hormonal disorders, and fatty liver disease.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the first active ingredient for children aged six and older last year: Liraglutide is approved from age six, and Semaglutide is approved from age twelve, with an expected extension of Semaglutide approval down to age six. To facilitate treatment, the medical guidelines concerning the “Therapy and Prevention of Obesity in Children and Adolescents” have been updated. Weihrauch-Blüher noted that although the guideline overhaul was originally scheduled for 2027, waiting that long was deemed unacceptable from their perspective.
The current recommendation applies to adolescents aged twelve and older who suffer from extreme obesity and existing co-morbidities, and who continue to gain weight despite intensive lifestyle interventions. According to the physician, who heads the department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Obesity at University Hospital Halle, these patients are expected to develop serious complications, such as Type 2 diabetes, in a relatively short period.
The medications utilized in this treatment imitate the gut hormone GLP-1. They help lower blood sugar, increase the feeling of satiety, and curb appetite. However, Wegovy, the weight-loss pill available in Germany this week, is not yet available to young patients, having been approved only for those aged 18 and older.
