More kids age 8 to 11 are being prescribed weight loss drugs: study

A new NYU Langone study finds a dramatic jump in GLP-1 prescriptions for children ages 8 to 11 since Ozempic entered the market. Researchers reported that in June 2026, GLP-1 prescriptions for that age group were 310 times higher than in 2019. The increase is notable because no GLP-1 drug is FDA-approved for children under 12. Still, the number treated remains relatively small—20,282 children under 12 received prescriptions during the 7.5-year study period. Lead researcher Babak J. Orandi said uptake is accelerating, but underlying childhood obesity and related complications are the bigger issue.