The weight loss injection, semaglutide, is a recommended treatment option for adults, and also adolescents with obesity. Particularly when there are additional health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or abnormal liver function. However, it's not a first line choice. Other options like lifestyle changes and psychotherapy are recommended before pursuing semaglutide--specially in adolescents. While semaglutide is approved for use in teenagers, it should be closely monitored by a doctor, and a therapist should be involved if the patient shows signs of an eating disorder.

Dr. Jennifer Seidenberg is a pediatrician specializing in weight management and eating disorders, explains, "If I know they have a history of eating disorders, particularly restrictive eating disorders, I probably would not recommend it. I have occasionally used it as a tool for patients with binge eating disorder. If they're not purging, if they're not using restrictive eating patterns. Sometimes the semaglutide can help decrease the binging urges. But again, those patients have to be monitored closely to make sure they're not losing too much weight." Dr. Seidenberg recommends all patients--both adults and teens--get checked for eating disorders by using a tool called Eat 26 before starting semaglutide injections.