Weight-loss jabs for obese children are effective and help prevent battles around mealtimes, researchers have claimed.
Experts presented the findings at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain.
They found that the drugs helped obese youngsters lose weight on top of a diet and lifestyle plan.
Weight-loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by reducing food cravings.
They are available on the NHS for adults with a high body mass index (BMI) or through private providers.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) stopped its appraisal of semaglutide (Wegovy) for use in 12 to 17-year-olds after the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, said it was unable to provide evidence for submission.
In certain instances where there is a proven clinical need, specialist paediatric clinics can prescribe weight-loss injections.
Dr Annika Janson, from Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden, presented the new research.
She said: “GLP-1 drugs are increasingly used to treat obesity in adults.
“They can also be used in children from the age of 12 and clinical trials have shown children lose 5-16% of their body weight after a year of treatment.”
Alongside this, Dr Janson said the jabs had results “beyond obesity”.
“The families reported reduced conflicts around food and improved capacity for other lifestyle adaptations,” she said.
She added: “It was easier to stick to meals and limit snacks. Portions could be downsized. For some children, not being hungry all the time is a new feeling.”
Side effects of weight-loss drugs include nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vision problems.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said the company hadn’t submitted evidence for Nice appraisal because it lacked “utility data and risk equations in linking weight loss…
