How does the WHO decide guidelines on obesity drugs for children under 10?

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1. 1

   New global guidelines warn against obesity drugs for children under 10

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 7, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “Care should focus on healthy eating and exercise, not medicines such as weight-loss injections, says the World Health Organization”

2. 2

   GLP-1 and Dual GIP/GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Pediatric Obesity: From Neuroendocrine Mechanisms to Clinical Application.

   International journal of molecular sciences (Myśliwczyk et al.)Published Sep 15, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “We describe how GLP-1 receptor agonists act across central and peripheral tissues to reduce appetite, delay gastric emptying, and enhance glucose-dependent insulin secretion and examine the rationale for dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonism. Randomized pediatric trials demonstrate clinically meaningful BMI reduction with liraglutide and semaglutide, with the largest mean effect reported for semaglutide in adolescents; however, long-term effects on growth, puberty, bone health, body composition, and weight maintenance remain uncertain. Tirzepatide has shown greater weight-loss efficacy than selective GLP-1 receptor agonism in adults, but no randomized trial has evaluated it in pediatric obesity without diabetes. Incretin-based therapies should be integrated with nutritional, behavioral, psychological, and family-based care. Their future value will depend on durable efficacy, developmental safety, equitable access, and identification of patients most likely to benefit.”

3. 3

   Current and forthcoming pharmacotherapies for adolescent obesity: Evidence-based review.

   World journal of clinical pediatrics (Fuentes-Mendoza et al.)Published Sep 9, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “Therefore, this minireview aims to compare and clarify the effectiveness of treatments. It also seeks to identify areas requiring attention to guide clinical practice and future research. A literature search was conducted in databases including PubMed and Scopus. The study focused on randomised trials and meta-analyses in patients aged 12 to 18 years and lasting more than 12 weeks. The results show an improvement induced by glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide. Semaglutide reduces body mass index by 16.1%. It is more effective than liraglutide in improving insulin sensitivity. The use of these drugs faces challenges, such as cost. There are also social inequalities that affect health equity. Although no short-term safety issues have been reported, there is still little information available on Tirzepatide and CagriSema in adolescents, compared to their known effect on adults. Therefore, we conclude that semaglutide is the current gold standard, but that there is an urgent need for longer-term studies, comparative evaluations, and safety trials that include paediatric cohorts in order to ensure safe access to pharmacological innovations.”

4. 4

   Integrating incretin-based therapies into comprehensive obesity care: an EASO position statement.

   The Lancet regional health. Europe (Correia et al.)Published Sep 3, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “However, translating therapeutic efficacy into sustainable population-level benefit remains challenging across European healthcare systems that vary in workforce capability, multidisciplinary care, reimbursement, access, and monitoring infrastructure. We describe this mismatch as the EASO Integration Paradox: therapeutic innovation has advanced more rapidly than the health-system structures required for its optimal, equitable, and sustainable implementation. In this EASO Position Statement, we propose the EASO Integration Framework, a model for integrating incretin-based therapies into comprehensive obesity care. The framework is organized around five interdependent pillars: Right Patient, Right Care, Right Workforce, Right Data, and Right Access. We also outline a European research and implementation agenda focused on real-world evidence, harmonised monitoring, workforce development, pharmacovigilance, and equitable access. The challenge is no longer whether incretin-based therapies should be used, but how they should be implemented responsibly within comprehensive obesity care pathways.”