Research from Northwestern University reveals that children on GLP-1 medicines for obesity and diabetes face increased risks of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, prompting calls for closer monitoring in young patients amidst rising obesity rates worldwide.
A study published in the journal Childhood Obesity suggests that medicines in the GLP-1 class, which are increasingly used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, may carry an overlooked risk for children and teenagers: nutritional deficiencies. Researchers at Northwestern University reviewed real-world clinical data from more than 2,000 patients aged 10 to 17 and found that within a year of starting treatment, about 16.9% were diagnosed with at least one deficiency or a related complication.
The most common problem was vitamin D deficiency, affecting 12.4% of the young patients studied. Researchers also recorded cases of nutrition-related anaemia and iron-deficiency anaemia, both of which can develop when the body does not receive or absorb enough essential nutrients. The findings do not prove the medicines caused the deficiencies, but they do add to a growing discussion about how weight-loss treatment should be monitored in children and adolescents.
The results come against a backdrop of persistent concern about childhood obesity worldwide. The World Health Organisation has said obesity in childhood remains a major public-health challenge, with its latest European surveillance report showing that 25% of children aged seven to nine were living with overweight, including obesity, and 11% with obesity. The agency has also warned that childhood obesity raises the risk of later-life diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
That makes the new findings especially relevant for clinicians. GLP-1 medicines are often seen as an important tool for treating obesity and prediabetes, but the study underlines that rapid weight loss can coincide with reduced intake of vitamins and minerals. Experts say that if these drugs are used in children, doctors should keep a close eye on growth, diet and blood tests so emerging deficiencies are not missed until they have already caused harm.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
