Ozempic boasts surprising mental health benefits for teens with obesity: new research
Jab for joy.
A landmark new study has found that obese teens who are given semaglutide weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, may see an improvement in their mental health, including a reduced risk of suicide.
This research contradicts previous concerns about the potential of drugs like Ozempic to trigger suicidal ideation and self-harm in children and adults.
Created to treat diabetes, these medications have skyrocketed in popularity due to their ability to help people lose weight by slowing digestion and reducing appetite.
Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the new study is the first to focus exclusively on the relationship between the weight loss drug and mental health among teenagers.
Analyzing 4,000 obese participants aged 12 to 19 taking a semaglutide, researchers compared their findings with 50,000 obese teens who were treated with lifestyle therapy but no medication.
Overall, and over a 12-month follow-up period, the Ozempic contingent was associated with a 33 percent reduction in suicidal ideation or attempts.
This positive trend continued throughout a three-year follow-up period.
The study authors noted that teens who took the weightloss medication reported higher rates of side effects, especially gastroinstensital issues like diarrhea.
This latest teen-centric research comes on the heels, or needles, of two separate studies that found that the weight loss drug semaglutide does not increase the risk of depression and suicide. Researchers are hopeful that the link between the medication and reduced risk of suicidal ideation and attempts mean the drugs could have benefits beyond weight management.
Dr Riccardo De Giorgi of the University of Oxford says, “Our results suggest that semaglutide use could extend beyond managing diabetes, potentially offering unexpected benefits in the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline and substance misuse.”
The good news comes as obesity rates and their associative health issues continue to blight Americans.
According to a study published earlier this year by the World Health Organization (WHO), in the past four decades, obesity rates have quadrupled among children between the ages of five and 19.
In early 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children and teens with obesity be evaluated early and treated aggressively, including with surgery and medication if warranted.
According to a report published earlier this year, nearly 31,000 American children aged 12 to 17 used GLP-1 medications in 2023.
A recent study found that Wegovy helped teens reduce their BMI by about 16% on average, better than the results in adults.
The positive associations between Ozempic and mental health among teens are also encouraging given the relationship between weight, depression and cognition.
Last year a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, found that when compared to their thinner peers, obese pre-teens had diminished cognitive function, struggling to solve problems and thinking logically.
Pediatric surgeon Jun Tashiro tells The Post that parents of overweight kids should seriously consider these medications as a form of treatment.
“Anti-obesity medications can help reduce weight, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, as well as decrease the risk of heart and kidney disease for patients,” said Tashiro, an expert in the Adolescent Healthy Weight Program at NYU Langone.
