New global guidelines from the World Health Organization recommend that children under the age of 10 should not be given obesity drugs or GLP-1 weight-loss injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy.
Most of these medications are currently licensed only for older children and adolescents. However, some doctors prescribe them off-label, and pharmaceutical companies are testing the drugs in children as young as six. The WHO stresses that care for young children should centre on healthy eating and physical activity rather than medicine or surgery, although the organisation does not oppose ongoing drug trials.
The guidelines note that certain digital tools, including activity trackers and online games designed to encourage movement, may offer limited benefits based on available evidence.
Childhood obesity remains a growing concern worldwide. Estimates indicate that 170 million children and adolescents are obese, including 70 million aged between five and nine. Prevalence in this age group has quadrupled since 1990, rising from 2% to 8%. In 2024, 35 million children under five were overweight. Obesity increases the risk of several conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
Dr Luz De Rigil, WHO Director of Nutrition and Food Safety, said the organisation issues a strong recommendation against the use of obesity medicines, bariatric surgery or weight-management devices for children under 10. Such interventions may be considered for older children and adolescents only when lifestyle approaches have not succeeded and the individual is both mentally and physically prepared for treatment.
Laurence Grummer-Strawn, WHO head of Nutrition and Food Safety Actions, expressed particular caution about starting young children on GLP-1 drugs. He questioned how long such treatment would continue and noted the lack of clear evidence that these medications can be used temporarily before transitioning to dietary approaches later in life. “We are very cautious about jumping in without clear evidence,” he said.
The WHO acknowledges that this is an evolving area of medicine and stated it will continue to review emerging evidence.
