Should I Let My Child Take Ozempic?

Peter Dazeley via Getty Images The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends weight loss medications for children as young as 12. Medical complications of obesity in children can include “high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease, joint and bone disease, as well as other medical conditions,” Mangarelli said. “Teens come with more mental health issues, body image issues, and disordered eating behaviors,” Cook explained, adding that many adult primary care providers don’t discuss such issues with their patients. “We don’t want to be perpetuating body image perfectionism nor disordered eating patterns.” She added, “This can be especially problematic for girls or young women in our society.” Ruth Micallef, an eating disorders specialist, told HuffPost that she believes weight loss drugs should not be prescribed to children who have eating disorders. “Not everyone develops negative health consequences at the same weight,” Mangarelli said, adding that she would consider the drugs for her own child “if my child was having negative health consequences associated with their weight.” “We are seeing and hearing about primary care doctors that feel pressured to treat adolescents with medications because families are asking for them,” Cook said, even though pediatric endocrinologists and weight specialists are just beginning to familiarize themselves with these drugs.