Semaglutide - the new transformative weight loss drug in the market

Out of the 201 children who received the ‘skinny jab’ aka Semaglutide, nearly half of them have lost enough weight and are no longer classified as ‘clinically obese’.A study led by the co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota, Dr Aaron Kelly, administered one dose of 2.4mg of semaglutide to nearly 134 children aged between 12 and 18 years of age once a week for a duration of 68 weeks.

Meanwhile, the remaining 67 children received a placebo over the same duration of time.

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Semaglutide is typically a medication, sold under the brand name Ozempic used to treat type 2 diabetes by suppressing appetite. However, Dr Aaron’s study found that semaglutide can also be used to treat obesity when administered in small amounts over a long period of time.

Placebo v/s Semaglutide

The results presented to the European Congress on Obesity in Dublin concluded that 12 per cent of adolescents who took placebo lost enough weight to no longer be classified as ‘clinically obese’.

Moreover, nearly 45 per cent of adolescents who took semaglutide were able to no longer fall under the ‘clinically obese’ category.

The results of the study further concluded that nearly 74% of children who were administered semaglutide showed an improvement of one Body Mass Index (BMI), as opposed to just 19% of children who took placebo.

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A transformative drug for children dealing with obesity

During a press conference, Dr Aaron stated that while the drug might not solve the obesity problem in its entirety, it is an important piece of the puzzle in solving it. He further added that the drug could be transformative for children dealing with obesity. However, the drug is not a quick fix to an otherwise larger problem - unhealthy lifestyle; and that the drug should be used in conjunction with lifestyle therapies and other anti-obesity measures.

Semaglutide gets a thumps-up from the internet

Semaglutide, which is believed to be a transformative drug for people dealing with obesity has gone on social media platforms like Tiktok and has also received various celebrity endorsements.Expert drug advisers from the UK recommended its usage on the NHS in adults with a BMI above 35 and with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure.

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