Weight-loss drug Saxenda effective for kids as young as 6, study shows

A drug approved to treat obesity in adults and teens is safe and effective for use in kids as young as 6 when combined with diet and exercise, a small new study shows.

Liraglutide lowered body mass, slowed weight gain and improved health markers in kids ages 6 through 11, according to research presented Tuesday at a medical conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Based on the results of the trial, drugmaker Novo Nordisk has asked U.S. regulators to expand use of the medication for kids in that age group, a company spokesperson said Tuesday. If approved, the drug would be the first authorized to treat the most common type of obesity that affects more than 20% of U.S. kids ages 6 through 11, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“To date, children have had virtually no options for treating obesity,” said Dr. Claudia Fox, a pediatric obesity expert at the University of Minnesota who led the study. “They have been told to ‘try harder’ with diet and exercise."