In a Baton Rouge classroom where children are learning the old lessons of healthy eating and exercise, a physician reminds us that those lessons do not always reach every body the same way. Dr. Rhea Rogers says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, already familiar to adults, are now being prescribed to some children whose efforts have not been enough, a shift that touches the old tension between personal discipline and the biology beneath it. Her account, offered without figures or locations, leaves the wider picture unseen, and the cost of these medicines keeps them out of reach for many households, whic
Doctors Begin Prescribing GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs to Some Children, Raising Questions on Cost and Care
"It's not a miracle drug — it's a tool."
Mark
So what is actually new here?
Mimi
Dr. Rhea Rogers says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, popular with adults, are now being prescribed to some children whose lifestyle changes haven't worked.
Mark
Why would diet and exercise fall short?
Mimi
She points to genetics and to what she calls hormonal dysregulation once a child's weight gets high enough.
Luke
Worth saying that's her explanation, in her words. The report doesn't cite a study or a medical body behind it.
Mark
Who qualifies?
Mimi
Experts say a BMI at or above the 95th percentile with lifestyle changes not working. For diabetes, the age can be 10 and up.
Luke
Note those are two different uses. The 10-and-up figure is for diabetes patients, not weight loss specifically.
Mark
And the cost?
Mimi
It's called a barrier for many families. Without the drug, the option is balanced meals and a healthy lifestyle.
Luke
We don't know how many children are on these drugs, what they cost, or whether insurance covers them. The piece doesn't say.
Mimi
Rogers herself calls it a tool, not a miracle drug.
Der Puls
- A physician in Baton Rouge says children are now receiving GLP-1 weight-loss drugs once lifestyle changes have run their course.
- Genetics and hormonal dysregulation are being named as reasons why willpower and routine sometimes fall short.
- Eligibility centers on a BMI at or above the 95th percentile, with hormone problems entering the picture as well.
- Price stands as a hard wall for many families, leaving balanced meals as the fallback for those who cannot pay.
- Open questions remain about how many children receive the drugs and who qualifies, resting largely on one doctor's account.
In a Baton Rouge classroom where children are learning the old lessons of healthy eating and exercise, a physician reminds us that those lessons do not always reach every body the same way. Dr. Rhea Rogers says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, already familiar to adults, are now being prescribed to some children whose efforts have not been enough, a shift that touches the old tension between personal discipline and the biology beneath it. Her account, offered without figures or locations, leaves the wider picture unseen, and the cost of these medicines keeps them out of reach for many households, which means the older advice still carries most of the weight.
At Magnolia Woods Elementary in Baton Rouge, students are learning about healthy eating and exercise as part of a statewide effort to lower obesity rates. For some children, a physician says, those lessons may not be enough on their own.
Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, says GLP-1 drugs, popular with adults, are now being prescribed to some children. Her account does not say how many children receive them or where. She argues that "move more and eat less" fails for some, because genetics and hormonal dysregulation can make weight resistant to willpower and routine.
Rogers describes the drugs as helpful for quieting "food noise," the constant preoccupation with eating, and as anti-inflammatory. For diabetes, the age threshold can be 10 and up. For weight loss, the ideal candidate has a BMI at or above the 95th percentile and has not succeeded through lifestyle change alone. She was careful to say it is "not a miracle drug, it's a tool," and that the whole child must be treated, not only the number on the scale.
Cost remains the barrier. For families who cannot afford the medication, or who decline it, the path forward is still balanced meals and healthy habits. What comes next is whether affordability shifts and whether clearer guidance on eligibility emerges.
At Magnolia Woods Elementary in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, students are being taught about healthy eating and exercise. The lessons are part of a statewide push to bring down obesity rates. For some children, though, a physician says those lessons may not be enough on their own.
Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician who hosts Aging Untold, says the weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1s, which have become popular among adults, are now being prescribed to some children. The report comes from Rogers's account; it does not give figures on how many children are receiving the drugs or where.
Rogers's argument starts with the limits of the familiar advice. "Move more and eat less" does not always work, she said, because genetics play a role. She described a point at which a child's weight becomes a hormonal dysregulation, a condition that willpower and a changed routine do not necessarily correct.
She said GLP-1 agonists are "huge" for quieting what she called food noise, the constant chatter about eating. She also described the drugs as anti-inflammatory. In her words, some people simply need a little more help because of that hormonal dysregulation.
The report offers some detail on who might qualify. For patients with diabetes, the age requirement can be 10 and up. For weight loss specifically, experts say the ideal candidate has a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile and has not succeeded with lifestyle changes alone. That group includes patients who have developed hormone problems that require medical intervention.
Rogers was careful not to oversell the treatment. "It's not a miracle drug — it's a tool," she said, adding that the whole situation has to be treated, not only the number on the scale.
Cost remains a barrier. The price of GLP-1s puts them out of reach for many families, and the report offers no figures or coverage details. For patients who cannot afford the medication, or who choose not to take any, the option for now is well-balanced meals and a healthy lifestyle, the same message being taught in Louisiana classrooms.
What to watch is whether affordability changes for families, and whether more detailed guidance emerges on which children qualify. The report rests largely on one physician's account.
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It's not a miracle drug — it's a tool, and so you have to treat the whole entire scenario.— Dr. Rhea Rogers
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