Prescriptions for GLP-1 receptor agonists among children aged 8 to 11 with obesity have surged by over 300-fold since 2019, with off-label use becoming increasingly common as clinicians reserve these treatments for more severe cases, according to new research.
Prescriptions for GLP-1 receptor agonists in children aged 8 to 11 with obesity but no diabetes have risen sharply since 2019, although the drugs remain uncommon in this age group, according to research published in Pediatrics. The study, led by Babak J. Orandi of New York University, examined repeated annual cohorts drawn from Epic Cosmos and tracked prescribing from January 2019 to 17 June 2026.
Across more than 3.5 million children in the analysis, 0.6% received a GLP-1 prescription. The research found higher prescribing among older children in the age band, among girls, and among children living in less socially vulnerable areas. Use was far more common in children with obesity-related health problems, suggesting that doctors appear to be reserving the medicines for those with more complex cases.
The increase was steep: prevalence rose from 0.03% in 2019 to 9.3% in 2026, a 310-fold jump, according to the Pediatrics report. A separate research brief noted that every prescription identified in the study was off-label, because the medicines involved are approved from age 12 for some obesity treatments or only for adults, depending on the drug.
Orandi said in a statement that the absolute number of children under 12 receiving treatment is still low, but added that “GLP-1 use is accelerating rapidly”. He said careful prescribing remains an important tool against childhood obesity. The findings also fit a broader pattern seen in adolescents, where earlier research has shown increasing use alongside persistent gaps linked to social and demographic factors.
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