A New Era in Pediatric Obesity Treatment
A New Era in Pediatric Obesity Treatment https://pediatricsnationwide.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Original_hi_res_JPG-120611ds244-scale-1024x683.jpg 1024 683 Joan Han, MD https://pediatricsnationwide.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Original_hi_res_JPG-021926SC0380_Edit_hires-crop-scaled.jpg
For decades, pediatric obesity treatment options were limited. Clinicians relied primarily on lifestyle interventions, with few effective medications available for children and adolescents. Today, however, advances in obesity medicine are transforming care and creating new opportunities to improve long-term health outcomes for young patients.
Obesity is increasingly recognized as a complex, chronic disease influenced by genetics, biology, environment and behavior. While healthy eating, physical activity and family-based lifestyle changes remain the foundation of treatment, researchers and clinicians now have access to a growing number of therapies that can help patients achieve meaningful and sustained weight reduction.
One of the most significant developments has been the emergence of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These medications work by slowing gastric emptying, increasing feelings of fullness and reducing appetite. Medications such as liraglutide and semaglutide are now approved for adolescents with obesity and have demonstrated substantial reductions in body mass index (BMI) in clinical trials. Semaglutide, in particular, has shown average BMI reductions approaching 17%, far exceeding the results seen with older medications.
These newer therapies represent a dramatic shift from previous treatment options. Earlier medications often produced modest weight loss and were frequently associated with challenging side effects. In contrast, GLP-1 medications have provided a more effective approach for many patients, though careful monitoring remains important because gastrointestinal side effects can occur and some patients experience weight regain when treatment is discontinued.
Beyond GLP-1 medications, advances in precision medicine are opening new doors for children with rare genetic forms of obesity. Researchers now understand that some patients have underlying genetic disorders affecting pathways that regulate hunger, satiety and energy balance. Through expanded genetic testing, clinicians can identify these conditions and, in some cases, offer targeted therapies designed to address the specific biological cause of obesity.
One example of this precision weight loss support is the use of setmelanotide, a medication approved for certain rare genetic obesity disorders and hypothalamic obesity. Rather than treating obesity broadly, the drug targets a specific pathway involved in appetite regulation.
Bariatric surgery also remains an important treatment option for adolescents with severe obesity. Evidence shows that surgery performed during adolescence can lead to significant and lasting improvements in obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Increasingly, medications and surgery are being used together, with medications helping patients reduce weight before surgery and maintain results afterward.
Despite these advances, experts emphasize that medications are not a substitute for healthy lifestyle habits. Successful treatment continues to rely on comprehensive care that includes nutrition counseling, physical activity, behavioral support and ongoing follow-up. As new therapies emerge and research continues, the future of pediatric obesity care is becoming increasingly personalized, offering hope for better outcomes and healthier futures for children and adolescents living with obesity.
About the author
Joan Han, MD, is chief of the Division of Endocrinology at Nationwide Children’s and professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University. She completed her residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. She pursued further advanced training in a clinical research fellowship at Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and a pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. Prior to becoming a proud Buckeye, Dr. Han has served as associate professor of pediatrics and founding director of the Pediatric Obesity Program at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and professor of pediatrics and division chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine. She is board certified in Pediatric Endocrinology and Obesity Medicine and has published broadly in these fields. She has served as pediatric associate editor for the international journal Obesity and as an appointed study section member for NIH grant reviews. She is a member of the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the American Pediatric Society, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the Endocrine Society, and the Obesity Society. Dr. Han is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
