WHO Issues New Guidelines Warning Against Obesity Drugs for Children Under 10

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new global guidelines warning against the use of obesity drugs, including weight-loss injections, in children under the age of 10.

According to the guidance, treatment for obesity in young children should prioritize healthy eating habits and physical activity rather than pharmaceutical interventions, reflecting concerns about the safety and long-term effects of weight-loss medications in this age group.

Focus on lifestyle over medication

The WHO's position places lifestyle-based interventions — including dietary changes and increased exercise — at the center of care for children struggling with excess weight, rather than medicines such as the class of weight-loss injections that have become more widely used in adults and older children in recent years.

The guidelines come amid a global rise in childhood obesity rates and growing scrutiny of how weight-loss drugs, originally developed for adults, are being prescribed or sought for younger patients.

Health authorities and pediatric specialists have previously raised questions about the limited long-term safety data available for the use of such medications in children, particularly those under 10, whose bodies are still developing.

By recommending against pharmaceutical treatment for this age group, the WHO is signaling that non-drug approaches — such as family-based nutrition counseling and encouraging physical activity — should remain the standard of care until more is known about the risks and benefits of medication use in young children.

The new guidance is likely to influence national health systems and pediatric associations as they update their own clinical recommendations for managing childhood obesity, an issue public health officials have identified as a growing concern worldwide.

Parents and caregivers seeking guidance on childhood weight management are typically advised to consult pediatricians or family doctors, who can tailor recommendations to a child's individual health needs rather than relying on medications intended for older patients.