Study finds nutritional deficiencies in one in six children on GLP-1 medications
A study published in Childhood Obesity found that 16.8% of children starting GLP-1 therapy developed a nutritional deficiency within a year, with vitamin D deficiency affecting 12.4%. Only 5% of patients received nutritional counseling, raising concerns about management during growth and development. The authors emphasize the need for nutritional support when these drugs are used in pediatric patients.
The study tracked 2,031 patients aged 10 to 17 using national insurance claims data spanning 2017 through 2022, drawn from a database covering more than 100 million individuals. Liraglutide dominated prescriptions at 78.6%, followed by dulaglutide at 10.4% and semaglutide at 9.1%. All participants had no prior deficiency diagnosis before starting treatment.
Researchers emphasized that adolescence demands substantial nutritional intake for skeletal development and pubertal changes, making deficiencies particularly consequential during this window. The low rate of nutritional counseling—under 25% within six months—suggests a gap between prescribing practices and supportive care, prompting calls for proactive monitoring rather than reactive treatment after deficiencies emerge.
This research could reshape how pediatricians approach GLP-1 prescribing, potentially prompting earlier nutritional screening and counseling as standard practice. Families may face added healthcare costs or appointment burdens, but could also avoid long-term complications from untreated deficiencies. As these medications become more common in younger populations, the findings may influence clinical guidelines and insurance coverage for nutritional support services.