GLP-1 Agonists for Pediatric Obesity: A Clinical Review

Introduction: Pediatric obesity is a chronic disease with multiple complex causes and many potential consequences if carried into adulthood. Lifestyle modifications alone have not been effective for all patients in the treatment of pediatric obesity. GLP-1 RAs already being prescribed in the adult population were also recently approved for pediatric patients. The purpose of this clinical review is to analyze the efficacy of GLP-1 RAs in decreasing markers associated with obesity, such as BMI, cholesterol, etc. in pediatric patients diagnosed with obesity. Methods: PubMed was first searched using synonyms of the keywords “pediatric obesity,” “GLP-1 agonists,” “lifestyle modifications,” and “biomarkers of obesity.” Boolean terms and parentheses were also used. A second search was conducted, omitting the terms related to lifestyle modifications. A total of 137 articles were found, and this was narrowed down to 15 articles with filters. Six systematic reviews/meta-analyses were selected for review based on study characteristics. Results: Results were inconclusive as treatment with the GLP-1 agonists studied had varying effects on body weight, waist circumference, BMI, HbA1c, FPG, lipid profiles, and blood pressure. The greatest reductions in body weight and BMI were observed in studies where lifestyle modifications were used concurrently with GLP-1 RAs. Discussion: Although some results analyzed in these studies were promising in decreasing the biomarkers of obesity in pediatric patients, the varying effectiveness found necessitates further research, specifically with larger sample sizes and longer duration of therapy. Consideration should be given to the use of GLP-1 RAs, and shared decision-making will continue to play a vital role in treating pediatric obesity.