Adolescents on GLP-1 drugs face increased risk of nutritional deficiencies

A national study published in ‘Childhood Obesity’ indicates that nearly 1 in 6 adolescents prescribed GLP-1 medications developed a nutritional deficiency within one year of starting treatment. Among the 2,031 patients aged 10 to 17 studied, 16.8% were diagnosed with at least one nutritional deficiency or related complication.

Vitamin D deficiency was the most prevalent, affecting 12.4% of the group. Other identified issues included dehydration (2.6%), nutritional anemia (1.5%), iron-deficiency anemia (1.4%), and muscle loss (0.8%). The study utilized insurance claims data from 2017 through 2022, noting that the majority of patients were prescribed liraglutide, followed by dulaglutide and semaglutide.

The research highlights a significant gap in nutritional support. Only 5% of adolescents received nutritional counseling within 30 days of starting the medication, and fewer than 25% received such counseling within six months. Senior author Justin Ryder emphasized that nutritional support should play a critical role in treatment plans to mitigate risks during periods of rapid growth and development.