GLP-1 for Teens: Which Drugs Are Approved and What Studies Show

Among the four GLP-1 products whose FDA prescribing information is summarized here, only two carry a pediatric weight-loss indication: Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, indicated for pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity, and Saxenda (liraglutide), indicated for pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with body weight greater than 60 kg and obesity — both used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity ^[1][2]. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) also has a pediatric indication, but only to improve glycemic control in patients 10 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes — it is not approved for weight management in children or teens ^[3]. Zepbound, the tirzepatide product for obesity and sleep apnea, is indicated for adults only ^[4]. No GLP-1 product in these labels carries an obesity indication below age 12 ^[1][2][4].

This page summarizes the FDA-approved prescribing information for these products and the published randomized trials in children and adolescents. It is not medical advice, and it contains no dosing instructions for any child. Whether a specific drug is right for a specific teenager — including any off-label use — is a decision for the family and the prescribing clinician.

All four labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors: in rodents, these drugs cause such tumors at clinically relevant exposures, and it is unknown whether they do so in humans ^[1][2][3][4]. All four are contraindicated in anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) ^[1][2][3][4].

Which GLP-1 drugs are approved for teenagers, and for what?

The table below shows what each product’s prescribing information states about age, diagnosis and key label facts.

Product	Pediatric indication on the label	Age on the label	Notes from the prescribing information
Wegovy (semaglutide) injection	Reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term, with diet and exercise	12 years and older	Usual maintenance dosage stated as 2.4 mg once weekly; initiation at 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks with titration every 4 weeks [1]
Wegovy (semaglutide) tablets	None for pediatrics — tablet indications listed are adults only	Adults only	Tablet strengths 1.5, 4, 9 and 25 mg [1]
Saxenda (liraglutide) injection	Reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term, with diet and exercise	12 years and older, with body weight greater than 60 kg	Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes not established [2]
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection	Improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes, as an adjunct to diet and exercise	10 years of age and older	Pediatric maximum dosage 10 mg once weekly (adult maximum 15 mg); starting dosage 2.5 mg weekly [3]
Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection	None — weight reduction and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea indications are adults only	Adults only	Maximum dosage 15 mg once weekly [4]

The Mounjaro label lists its pediatric indication under Recent Major Changes with a date of 12/2025 ^[3]. The labels themselves were revised as follows: Wegovy 06/2026, Saxenda 02/2026, Mounjaro 8/2026 and Zepbound 8/2026 ^[1][2][3][4].

The Wegovy label states that concomitant use of Wegovy with other semaglutide-containing products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended ^[1]. The Saxenda label states that coadministration with other liraglutide-containing products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended ^[2], and the Zepbound label states the same for other tirzepatide-containing products or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist ^[4].

Can a 14-year-old take Wegovy?

The Wegovy injection indication covers pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity, in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, so a 14-year-old with obesity falls within the labeled age range ^[1]. The prescribing information describes a usual maintenance dosage of 2.4 mg once weekly, reached by starting at 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks and titrating every 4 weeks — but any actual dose is set by the prescriber and stated on the child’s own prescription ^[1].

The full Wegovy prescribing information contains a section (14.3) describing a weight reduction and long-term maintenance study in pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity ^[1]. The most common adverse reactions, reported at 5% or more in adults or pediatric patients aged 12 years and older, are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dysesthesia, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation, hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and hair loss ^[1].

Note that the Wegovy tablets are a separate product with adults-only indications on the label — cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight ^[1].

What does the adolescent study actually show?

A published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial of liraglutide in adolescents (registered as NCT02918279) ran from September 29, 2016 through August 8, 2019 at 32 sites in five countries — Belgium, Mexico, Russia, Sweden and the United States — with a 12-week run-in, a 56-week treatment period and a 26-week off-treatment follow-up ^[5].

The trial enrolled 251 pubertal adolescents ages 12 to under 18 with obesity and a poor response to lifestyle therapy alone; 125 were assigned to liraglutide 3.0 mg daily and 126 to placebo, in a 1:1 ratio, both on top of lifestyle therapy ^[5].

The primary endpoint was the change in BMI standard-deviation score at week 56. The estimated difference was −0.22 (95% CI −0.37 to −0.08; P=0.002), favoring liraglutide ^[5]. In practical terms:

• A BMI reduction of at least 5% occurred in an estimated 43.3% of the liraglutide group versus 18.7% of the placebo group; at least 10% in 26.1% versus 8.1% ^[5].
• Estimated differences favored liraglutide for BMI (−4.64 percentage points) and body weight (−4.50 kg absolute, −5.01 percentage points relative) ^[5].

These are group averages from one trial, not predictions for any individual teenager.

Side effects in that trial: gastrointestinal adverse events occurred in 81 of 125 participants on liraglutide (64.8%) versus 46 of 126 on placebo (36.5%); 13 participants (10.4%) stopped treatment due to an adverse event on liraglutide versus none on placebo; serious adverse events were uncommon in both groups (3, or 2.4%, versus 5, or 4.0%) ^[5].

The trial also tracked growth and development — bone age, Tanner stage, height standard-deviation score, hormone levels and heart rate at weeks 56 and 82 ^[5]. It was funded by Novo Nordisk ^[5].

What happens when a teenager stops the drug?

In the adolescent liraglutide trial, after treatment stopped, the BMI standard-deviation score rose more in the liraglutide group than the placebo group during the 26-week follow-up (estimated difference 0.15; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.23) ^[5]. In other words, some of the benefit eroded after discontinuation. That rebound is a fair thing to ask a prescriber about before starting.

What about children under 12?

No GLP-1 product in these labels carries an obesity indication below age 12 ^[1][2][4]. At the time the pediatric liraglutide trial in younger children was published, no medications were approved for nonmonogenic, nonsyndromic obesity in children younger than 12 ^[7].

The only randomized GLP-1 trial in that age group is SCALE Kids, a phase 3a trial in children 6 to under 12 with obesity: 56 weeks of treatment plus 26 weeks of follow-up, with 82 children randomized 2:1 to liraglutide 3.0 mg (or the maximum tolerated dose) or placebo, plus lifestyle interventions — 56 on drug, 26 on placebo ^[7].

At week 56, mean BMI changed by −5.8% with liraglutide versus +1.6% with placebo, an estimated difference of −7.4 percentage points (95% CI −11.6 to −3.2; P<0.001) ^[7]. Body weight changed by +1.6% with liraglutide versus +10.0% with placebo, an estimated difference of −8.4 percentage points (95% CI −13.4 to −3.3; P=0.001) ^[7]. A BMI reduction of at least 5% occurred in 46% versus 9% (adjusted odds ratio 6.3; 95% CI 1.4 to 28.8; P=0.02) ^[7].

Adverse events occurred in 89% versus 88% of participants; gastrointestinal adverse events in 80% versus 54%; serious adverse events in 12% versus 8% ^[7]. The trial was funded by Novo Nordisk, registered as NCT04775082, and published September 10, 2024 ^[7].

Any use of a GLP-1 drug for obesity in a child under 12 would be off-label, which is a clinician-and-parent decision — not something this page recommends.

What side effects and warnings are on the labels?

The most common adverse reactions reported at 5% or more with Mounjaro are nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia and abdominal pain ^[3]. The Wegovy list for adults or pediatric patients aged 12 years and older is longer and includes nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dizziness and hair loss, among others ^[1].

The Wegovy label’s warnings and precautions include acute pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease, hypoglycemia when used with insulin or an insulin secretagogue, acute kidney injury from volume depletion, severe gastrointestinal reactions (not recommended in severe gastroparesis), hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis, diabetic retinopathy complications, heart rate increase, and pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation ^[1].

One pediatric-specific point on the Saxenda label: in the pediatric clinical trial, patients did not have type 2 diabetes, yet hypoglycemia still occurred in Saxenda-treated pediatric patients ^[2]. The Wegovy label directs monitoring of blood glucose before starting and during treatment in patients with diabetes ^[1], and the Saxenda label states that adult patients with type 2 diabetes should monitor blood glucose before starting and during treatment ^[2]. The Mounjaro label states that concomitant use with an insulin secretagogue or insulin may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia, and that reducing the dose of the insulin secretagogue or insulin may be necessary ^[3] — those are prescriber decisions, not instructions for families.

All of these drugs delay gastric emptying and may affect the absorption of oral medications ^[1][2][3]. The Wegovy label advises increased clinical or laboratory monitoring when it is used with oral medications that have a narrow therapeutic index or require clinical monitoring ^[1]; the Saxenda label says to use with caution ^[2], and the Mounjaro label states that absorption of concomitant oral medications may be impacted ^[3]. The labels also instruct patients to tell healthcare providers about any planned surgeries or procedures, because of the aspiration risk ^[1][2][3][4]. And the labels state never to share a pen between patients, even with a new needle — a warning added to the Wegovy FlexTouch section in 06/2026 and to the Mounjaro and Zepbound KwikPen sections in 01/2026 ^[1][3][4].

What should families of teen girls know about pregnancy and birth control?

The labels carry several cautions relevant to adolescents who could become pregnant:

• Semaglutide may cause fetal harm; the Wegovy label states that for patients receiving it for weight reduction, it should be discontinued at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy because of semaglutide’s long half-life ^[1].
• Liraglutide may cause fetal harm; the Saxenda label states it should be discontinued when pregnancy is recognized ^[2].
• Tirzepatide: the Mounjaro and Zepbound labels state that females using oral contraceptives should switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 4 weeks after starting treatment and for 4 weeks after each dose escalation ^[3][4].
• Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy tablets ^[1].

Did the suicidal-ideation warning come off the labels?

Yes. The Wegovy label lists “Suicidal Behavior and Ideation” as removed in 01/2026; the Saxenda label lists it as removed in 02/2026; and the Zepbound label lists it as removed in 02/2026 ^[1][2][4]. That means these warnings no longer appear in the current warnings sections of those labels.

The adolescent liraglutide trial included repeated mental-health screening with the Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 at screening and every visit, and one suicide occurred in the liraglutide arm that the investigator assessed as unlikely to be related to the trial treatment ^[5].

What does on-label versus off-label mean here?

In practice, the age and diagnosis boundaries work like this:

• Under 12 for obesity: no GLP-1 product in these labels carries an obesity indication below age 12 ^[1][2][4].
• Ages 10 to 11: only tirzepatide (Mounjaro) has a pediatric indication, and only for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes — not for weight management ^[3].
• Ages 12 and up with obesity: Wegovy injection and Saxenda are on-label, with Saxenda additionally requiring body weight greater than 60 kg ^[1][2].

A prescriber can still use a drug outside those boundaries; that is called off-label use, and it is a clinical judgment made with the family. This page describes what the labels say, not what any individual child should do.

What questions are worth bringing to the pediatrician?

Based on what the labels and trials state, reasonable questions include:

• Is the product being prescribed on-label for my child’s age and diagnosis, or off-label? ^[1][2][3][4]
• What diet and physical activity program will accompany the drug? Every relevant indication is defined as use “in combination with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity” ^[1][2][4].
• If my child also uses insulin or a sulfonylurea, what is the hypoglycemia education and glucose monitoring plan? ^[1][3]
• What should we expect if the medication is stopped? In the adolescent trial, BMI standard-deviation score rebounded more after liraglutide than after placebo ^[5].
• For teen girls, what contraception counseling applies if dose escalation is planned, given the tirzepatide interaction with oral contraceptives? ^[3][4]

Sources

1. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information.
2. Novo Nordisk. Saxenda (liraglutide) prescribing information.
3. Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information.
4. Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information.
5. New England Journal of Medicine. A randomized, controlled trial of liraglutide for adolescents with obesity.
6. The Lancet. Efficacy and safety of tirzepatide in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-PEDS): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.
7. New England Journal of Medicine. Liraglutide for children 6 to <12 years of age with obesity: a randomized trial.
8. Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with obesity.
9. Diabetes Care, American Diabetes Association. Children and adolescents: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. January 2026.
10. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. GLP-1 receptor agonist use and mental health outcomes in adolescents with obesity: a retrospective review. September 14, 2026.
11. Childhood Obesity. Protecting musculoskeletal development and physical function in adolescents on GLP-1 therapy. 2026.
12. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. GLP-1 receptor agonists in adolescents: emerging endocrine, reproductive, and psychosocial concerns.
13. PubMed. Pharmacotherapy in childhood obesity: key points from the 2023 AAP clinical practice guideline.
14. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. Real-world effectiveness of tirzepatide among youth with type 2 diabetes and/or obesity: a multicenter analysis.
15. Pediatric Obesity. Real-world use of subsidised semaglutide in Icelandic children with obesity: a nationwide retrospective cohort study. 2026.
16. ClinicalTrials.gov. Clinical study record NCT06439277.
17. ClinicalTrials.gov. Clinical study record NCT06075667.