Wolverhampton nutritionist calls for better support to tackle childhood obesity
US experts are looking at giving youngsters weight loss jabs
A nutritionist in Wolverhampton is calling for more in depth testing into the causes of childhood obesity.
Experts in the US are looking into giving youngsters weight loss jabs to help tackle the problem.
Young people using weight loss jabs...
Experts in the US carried out a review and meta-analysis of 18 trials involving GLP-1 agonists on youngsters aged six to 17.
The family of drugs help lower blood sugar levels, slow the digestion of food and can reduce appetite.
However, stomach problems were "significantly more common" among youngsters taking the drugs.
'There may be an adverse affect'
Nutritionist Samuel James Thomas told us his concerns about giving young children weight loss jabs:
"In the long term, there may be an adverse affect. The body may become dependant on the use of these hormones.
"It is important that children learn how to control cravings and desires naturally," he said.
'Slightly improved'
Overall, the studies included 1,402 children and compared the effectiveness of GLP-1 agonists to placebo treatment in youngsters who were obese, overweight, had pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Researchers found the drugs "significantly improved" the likes of glycaemic control and weight in obese children and those with type 2 diabetes.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea...
However, they highlighted that "gastrointestinal adverse events", which can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, were "significantly more common" among those taking the drugs.
Writing in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the researchers added that longer follow-up periods in future trials and more real-world studies are "essential to establish the long-term effects of GLP-1 RAs in children and adolescents".
A number of GLP-1 agonists are available on the NHS in England - either to help manage weight or treat type 2 diabetes - although they are all recommended for adults.
How many children are obese in the UK?
The latest data published by the NHS shows 22.1% of children in Year 6 (aged 10 to 11) in England were obese in 2023/24, down from 22.7% in 2022/23.
Despite falling for the third year in a row, the figure is still higher than the years before the pandemic.
Elsewhere, the Government's national child measurement programme, found around one in 10 children joining primary school in England were obese in 2023/24, up from 9.2% in 2022/23.