---
title: "WHO advises lifestyle changes over weight-loss drugs for kids "
url: https://moldova1.md/p/87327/who-advises-lifestyle-changes-over-weight-loss-drugs-for-kids
published: 2026-10-10T13:10:45Z
language: en
author: "Rodica Mazur"
section: "International"
source: moldova1.md
---

# WHO advises lifestyle changes over weight-loss drugs for kids 

> The World Health Organization prioritises healthy nutrition, regular exercise, and behavioural therapy over weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 therapies for young children struggling with obesity, according to its new global guidelines.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/aa68ef8d-3c19-498c-9d14-e44a767493c9.jpg)

The World Health Organization prioritises healthy nutrition, regular exercise, and behavioural therapy over weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 therapies for young children struggling with obesity, according to its new global guidelines.

The guidelines mark the agency's first comprehensive global framework addressing early childhood obesity. The intervention comes as UNICEF data confirms obesity has overtaken underweight status to become the most prevalent form of malnutrition among school-age children and adolescents globally.

**Lifestyle first approach**

For children under 10 years of age, the WHO explicitly recommends balanced diets, physical activity, and structured behavioural support rather than anti-obesity medications, surgical procedures, or medical devices. The UN agency cited persistent uncertainties regarding the long-term clinical safety and developmental efficacy of medical therapies in younger demographics.

Weight-loss medications may be considered for adolescents aged 10 to 19, but solely after supervised lifestyle interventions fail to achieve results. Similarly, bariatric surgery should remain restricted to severely obese adolescents who demonstrate physical and psychological maturity, following at least six months of unsuccessful comprehensive medical treatment.

*“The cornerstone of caring for children and adolescents with obesity is not drugs or surgery, but access to comprehensive support that enables healthy eating, physical activity, and sustainable behavioural changes,”* said Luz María De Regil, Director of the WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.

**Regulatory approvals versus clinical priorities**

Certain GLP-1 receptor agonists have already received regulatory clearance for paediatric patients. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Saxenda are approved for adolescents aged 12 and older across the United States and the European Union, with the EU also permitting Saxenda for select children aged 6 to 11.

However, the WHO emphasized that commercial regulatory clearance does not make pharmaceuticals the default first-line response. Public health officials warned that individual clinical care alone cannot curb the expanding crisis, urging governments to ensure nutritious foods and athletic infrastructure remain economically accessible to all households.

According to WHO data, approximately 400 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were overweight in 2024, including 170 million living with obesity. Crucially, obesity prevalence across this age demographic has quadrupled since 1990, underscoring the urgent demand for early, prevention-focused public policy.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**
***
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