Use of Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs soars among kids and young adults

By JONEL ALECCIA
AP Health Writer

Use of diabetes and obesity medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and other so-called GLP-1 drugs has soared among teens and young adults. New research shows that the number of 12- to 25-year-olds who used the medications climbed from about 8,700 a month in 2020 to 60,000 a month in 2023. Overall, in 2023, nearly 31,000 children aged 12 to 17 and more than 162,000 people aged 18 to 25 received the drugs. The report was published Wednesday in the journal JAMA. It’s the first look at the national uptake of these medications in those age groups.