Childhood obesity is a growing concern worldwide, with many children struggling to achieve significant and sustainable weight loss through lifestyle interventions alone. In a recent phase IIIa trial known as SCALE Kids, researchers explored the potential benefits of adding liraglutide (Saxenda) to lifestyle intervention in young children with obesity.
By the end of the 56-week trial, children between the ages of 6 and 12 who received once-daily 3-mg liraglutide experienced a 5.8% reduction in BMI, compared to a 1.6% increase in BMI in the group that received lifestyle intervention alone. This significant difference highlights the potential of liraglutide as an adjunct to healthy lifestyle interventions for children with obesity.
Experts in the field have emphasized the importance of these findings, noting that liraglutide provides a much-needed therapeutic option for young children with severe obesity. The results of the SCALE Kids trial offer evidence of the positive effects of a GLP-1 receptor agonist in this age group, suggesting improvements in metabolic variables such as insulin sensitivity and hepatic steatosis.
The magnitude of the BMI reduction observed in the SCALE Kids trial was nearly double the reduction reported in a similar trial involving adolescents. This underscores the potential benefits of liraglutide in younger age groups and could pave the way for future approvals for the treatment of obesity in children.
While liraglutide demonstrated promising results in terms of weight loss and BMI reduction, it was also associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal adverse events. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were among the most common side effects reported in the trial, with some cases requiring medical intervention.
To address lingering questions about the long-term effects of liraglutide treatment in children, researchers are currently conducting a 3-year, open-label extension phase of the trial. This extension phase aims to provide further insights into the safety and efficacy of liraglutide in young children with obesity, with results expected to be available in January 2027.
The findings of the SCALE Kids trial highlight the potential of liraglutide as a promising treatment option for children with obesity who have not achieved sufficient weight loss through lifestyle interventions alone. While further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of liraglutide in this population, the results of this trial offer hope for a new approach to managing childhood obesity.
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