GLP-1 weight-loss drug use among youth spark long-term safety concerns
UCI Health pediatrician says the medications are too new to fully understand effects
September 20, 2024
UCI Health pediatrician Dr. Dan Cooper is concerned about the rising popularity of injectable weight-loss drugs among young people.
IN THE NEWS: Injectable GLP-1 drugs are an increasingly popular choice for people of all ages to address obesity.
Although UCI Health pediatrician Dr. Dan Cooper is not surprised by the popularity of injectable GLP-1 weight loss drugs, he tells Science News Explores that he’s worried about their long-term safety, especially when it comes to those under 18.
“I’m just very concerned about how we’re using these medications as a quick fix for a complex problem.”
Cooper is the lead author of Unintended Consequences of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Medication in Children and Adolescents – A Call to Action, a commentary about the risks of weight-loss drugs for children, including an increased risk of suicidal ideation. It was published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science in August 2023.
Cooper is a pediatrician who sees patients at UCI Health Pediatric Services. He is also a Distinguished Professor of pediatrics at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, the associate director of the UC Irvine Institute for Clinical and Translational Science and interim director of the UC Irvine Institute for Precision Health. Cooper’s research seeks to understand the role of physical activity and exercise in the growth and development of children and adolescents in both health and disease.
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