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Semaglutide helps children with obesity cross below threshold
Researchers studied semaglutide in 165 children with obesity.
The children were between 6 and almost 12 years old.
They also followed a healthier eating plan and exercised more.
After 68 weeks, about four in 10 children taking semaglutide were no longer above the obesity limit for their age and sex.
None of the children taking the placebo reached that result.
Children are judged by BMI charts that consider their age and sex.
Most children in the study had severe obesity when it began.
The company said the medicine’s safety looked similar to earlier studies.
More detailed results will be presented later.
In the STEP Young trial, 40.4% of children receiving weekly semaglutide moved below the obesity threshold after 68 weeks.
None of the children receiving placebo moved below the obesity threshold during the trial.
The randomized trial included 165 children aged 6 to under 12 years, most of whom had severe obesity at the start.
Both groups followed a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity alongside their assigned treatment.
Novo Nordisk reported no new safety concerns, including issues involving growth or pubertal development.
- Who
- The STEP Young trial involved 165 children aged 6 to under 12 years, along with researchers and Novo Nordisk.
- What
- The trial tested once-weekly semaglutide combined with lifestyle changes for childhood obesity.
- Where
- The trial was multinational, with further results scheduled for presentation in Washington, DC.
- When
- The treatment period lasted 68 weeks; detailed results are expected November 14–17, 2026.
- Why
- The study assessed whether semaglutide could reduce BMI and move children below the age- and sex-specific obesity threshold.
Key facts
- Trial
- STEP Young, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational phase 3 study
- Participants
- 165 children aged 6 to under 12 years
- Treatment duration
- 68 weeks
- Primary result
- Semaglutide produced a greater reduction in BMI than placebo
- Below obesity threshold
- 40.4% of semaglutide-treated children versus 0% of placebo-treated children
- Lifestyle measures
- Both groups followed a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity
- Safety
- No new safety concerns were identified, including concerns about growth or pubertal development
Quotes
Ania M. Jastreboff
Yale University obesity researcher and paediatric endocrinologist
“Most of the children in the STEP Young trial were classified as having severe (class II or III) obesity at baseline”
indianexpress.com
Martin Holst Lange
Novo Nordisk executive vice president, chief scientific officer and head of research and development
“For children living with obesity and their families, health challenges can begin early and affect wellbeing throughout life”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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