GLP-1s and Teenage Obesity

Posted on September 23, 2026 by Sally-Anne Turner

Can Adolescents Use Weight Loss Injections?

On September 17, 2026, pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy injectables and the Wegovy pill, released results from its STEP Young phase 3 trial. It found that 40.4% of children aged 6 to under 12 receiving once-weekly semaglutide plus lifestyle modification no longer met the clinical threshold for obesity after 68 weeks, versus 0% in the placebo and lifestyle group. Wegovy side effects also did not cause a high dropout rate, even among this younger participant group.

Many parents worry about this with their children. What happens if they are diagnosed with obesity or are considered to be medically overweight?

It is an understandable worry. In the UK at the time of writing, one of the core health issues that is facing younger people is excess weight. Some people say it may be due to a lack of exercise. Others say it is due to foods that are high in sugar. Whatever the cause, it is causing a host of secondary health problems that may create the first generation in history who pass away before their parents.

At the Bodyline Clinic, we aim to expand our specialised support services to help teenagers lose weight using GLP-1 weight-loss medications. We have a dedicated clinical team and over 18 years of expertise to help younger people shed excess weight and, hopefully, restore their health. We’ll update our website as soon as we can offer this service.

For now, let’s take a look at why more weight loss clinics are aiming to offer this treatment to younger people, and what it could mean for long-term health outcomes.

Obesity in Teenagers and Children

Starting with the statistics on this topic, how many people under the age of 18 in the UK are currently living with a diagnosis of being overweight or obese?

The Health Survey for England 2024, published by NHS England on 27 January 2026, found that among children aged 2–15 in England:

1. 15% of children were living with obesity.
2. 26% were either overweight or living with obesity, which equates to roughly one in four children.
3. Obesity prevalence increased with age. 9–10% of those with this are among ages 2–7, rising to 21% among 11–12-year-olds.
4. Among 13–15-year-olds, 17% were living with obesity.
5. 36% of 11–12-year-olds were either overweight or living with obesity.
6. Among 13–15-year-olds, the corresponding figure was 28%.

Unfortunately, in the UK at the current time, there is also data related to children with severe obesity. According to NHS England, in May 2025, there were 4,784 children and teenagers aged 2-18 years who had received care through the Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) clinics since 2021.

Among these children:

1. 30% had metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
2. 21% had obstructive sleep apnoea and used a CPAP machine UK.
3. 21% had hypertension.
4. 24% had a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism and met NHS ASD criteria.
5. 23% had a learning disability.
6. More than 40% lived in the most deprived 20% of neighbourhoods.

Hypertension, metabolic associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and obstructive sleep apnoea can all impact lifespans. A study from 2021 noted that hypertension was associated with 25% higher all-cause mortality.

MASLD was linked to 16% higher all-cause mortality and higher cardiovascular mortality according to a UK Biobank analysis from 2024. Finally, obstructive sleep apnea was linked to a 74% chance of sudden death and a 94% higher cardiovascular mortality according to a systematic review/meta analysis.

It is safe to say that when it comes to obesity in younger people, it may act as a blueprint for future health issues. Now, what does the data say about how GLP-1s for adults may impact teenagers and younger children?

What Have the Studies Found?

Let’s take a look at the core study that led us here.

Novo Nordisk has announced the results from the phase 3 STEP Young trial. This study looked at once-weekly semaglutide alongside lifestyle changes across 165 children who were aged 6 to under 12 and had a diagnosis of obesity. More than 85% of the children had class II or III severe obesity at the start of the study.

After 68 weeks, 40.4% of the children who were given semaglutide no longer fell under the threshold for being diagnosed with obesity. The children in the placebo group had 0% dropping off from the obese category, highlighting a significant difference between the groups, even though both received lifestyle support such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It seems that even in younger groups, semaglutide acts as a significant appetite suppressant UK. This supports the idea that obesity is not simply a case of “get up and move around more,” even in younger children.

Novo Nordisk reported no new safety concerns. They noted no changes related to growth or pubertal development. However, these are currently top-line results, and we are awaiting the detailed findings. Those are due to be presented at Obesity Week in November 2026.

This is not the first study in this area. Here, we have summarised the key findings of this data and similar studies in the table below.

1. Study: Step Young (2026) Participant Age: 6-12 years Treatment: Semaglutide 2.4 mg + lifestyle Core Findings: 40.4% were below the obesity BMI threshold after 68 weeks vs 0% with placebo + lifestyle.
2. Study: STEP TEENS (2022) Participant Age: 12–18 years Treatment: Semaglutide 2.4 mg + lifestyle Core Findings: Semaglutide produced substantially greater reductions in BMI than lifestyle intervention + placebo.
3. Study: Kelly et al. (2020) Participant Age: 12- 18 years Treatment: Liraglutide 3 mg + lifestyle Core Findings: 43.3% achieved ≥5% BMI reduction vs 18.7% placebo; 26.1% achieved ≥10% vs 8.1% placebo.

Interestingly, as this area is being studied more, there has been a global rise in the number of teenagers who are taking GLP-1s to help with weight loss. A retrospective study that looked at more than 200,000 young adults and adolescents noted that there was a significant increase in GLP-1 receptor agonists since 2022. The percentage of adolescents and young adults treated for obesity with only GLP-1s rose from 88.2% in May 2022 to 96.1% in January 2026.

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients who underwent only metabolic and bariatric surgery decreased from 11.6% to 3.7%.

Specialised Support and the Bodyline Clinic

As mentioned in the introduction, our team at the Bodyline Clinic do not currently offer this GLP-1 treatment for those under the age of 18. However, we do offer treatments for many groups who may have been rejected by online pharmacies, such as:

1. People with diagnosed mental health issues.
2. Those with cardiovascular conditions.
3. People who have gastrointestinal problems.
4. Patients who are aged over 75.

We do also have the insight to recommend natural appetite suppressants UK in line with said previously diagnosed conditions or medications. Our difference is that we have over 18 years of experience in the area of weight loss treatments. We take the time to get to know our patients and do far more than sign off a prescription! Our dedicated clinical team will work with you to help you realistically reach your weight loss goals, even if you’ve been turned away by pharmacies and GP surgeries for GLP-1s.

So, if that sounds like the service you are interested in, please contact our team today and let’s get your weight loss journey started.

FAQs

How prevalent is obesity in teenagers in the UK?

An NHS-based study noted that among 13–15-year-olds, 17% were living with obesity. The same research also found that as those in the study increased in age, their chances of developing obesity also climbed.

Can GLP-1’s help children and teenagers to lose weight?

Recent data from Novo Nordisk found that 40.4% of those between the ages of 6 and 12 who took once-weekly semaglutide (Wegovy UK or Ozempic) for 68 weeks dropped out of the obese category, versus 0% in the placebo group. This suggests that this treatment can help teenagers and children lose weight.

Does the Bodyline Clinic Currently Offer this Service?

At the time of writing, no, our team at the Bodyline Clinic does not offer GLP-1’s, like Wegovy online to those under the age of 18. However, we plan to expand into this specialised treatment area soon, so watch this space for updates.