GLP-1 medications have expanded treatment options for some children and teenagers living with obesity or type 2 diabetes. But as these treatments become more common, a new study highlights a concern that deserves attention: whether young patients are getting the nutrients they need.
Research published in Childhood Obesity found that approximately one in six children prescribed a GLP-1 medication received a diagnosis of a nutritional deficiency or related complication within a year of starting treatment. The findings point to the importance of making nutrition part of care from the beginning.
What the researchers found
The research team analyzed insurance claims from 2017 through 2022 and identified 2,031 patients ages 10 to 17. Participants had no recorded nutritional deficiency or related complication during the six months before treatment began.
Within the following year, about 17% had a diagnosis of a deficiency or related complication. Vitamin D deficiency was the most common, affecting 12.4% of patients. Nutritional anemia and iron-deficiency anemia were also identified.
Most prescriptions were for liraglutide, followed by dulaglutide and semaglutide. These findings should not be presented as results specifically about Zepbound: no patients in the study received tirzepatide, its active ingredient.
How nutrition matters during treatment
GLP-1 medications influence appetite, help regulate blood sugar, and slow the movement of food out of the stomach. Reduced appetite can support treatment goals, but it also raises questions about nutritional intake during childhood and adolescence.
Growing bodies still require adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Senior author Justin Ryder, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said:
We hope that our study findings bring much needed recognition to the importance of proactive nutritional management when GLP-1s are prescribed to children, as opposed to waiting until a nutritional deficiency is diagnosed…
As appropriate pediatric use of GLP-1s becomes more widespread, we need to understand the risks during periods of rapid growth and pubertal development…
Nutrients such as vitamin D, iron and calcium are of particular concern during adolescence, when deficiencies may have lasting implications for skeletal health and overall development.
The researchers also identified a gap in nutritional support. Only about 5% of patients had documented nutritional counseling within 30 days of starting medication, and fewer than one in four had received it within six months. Their message is to address nutrition proactively rather than wait for a deficiency diagnosis.
What the study can (and cannot) tell us
The results warrant attention, but they do not establish that GLP-1 medications caused the deficiencies. Researchers examined billing records rather than directly measuring patients’ diets or nutrient levels. A newly recorded diagnosis also does not necessarily establish exactly when a deficiency began.
The study describes outcomes among medication users; it does not show how their risk compares with otherwise similar children who did not take these drugs.
Starting a conversation about nutritional care
For families considering or already using GLP-1 treatment, these findings offer a useful starting point for discussions with the care team:
- How will nutrition and growth be assessed during treatment?
- Would a registered dietitian help us plan meals around changes in appetite?
- Are nutrient testing or supplements appropriate for my child?
- What changes in eating habits should we report?
GLP-1 treatment decisions involve each child’s health needs. Building nutritional support into those decisions can help keep the focus on healthy growth, development, and overall well-being throughout care.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Weight-Loss Meds Lead To Nutritional Deficits For Many Kids And Teens, Study Finds,” U.S. News & World Report, 9/24/26
Source: “Nutritional Deficiencies, Complications, and Nutrition Therapy/Counseling in Pediatric Patients Using GLP-1 Receptor Agonists,” Journals.SagePub.com
Source: “GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes drugs linked to nutritional deficiencies in nearly 1 in 6 children,” ScienceDaily, 9/23/26
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