WHO updates global guidelines to include medication and surgery for adolescent obesity

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new global guidelines expanding treatment options for childhood and adolescent obesity. Under strict criteria, medical professionals may now consider weight-loss medications for individuals aged 10 to 19, and in the most severe clinical cases, bariatric surgery. The organization explicitly noted that these interventions should only be considered when initial, primary efforts—including a healthy diet, proper nutrition, and regular exercise—prove insufficient. For children under the age of 10, the WHO does not recommend the use of obesity medication, bariatric procedures, or weight-loss devices.

This policy shift builds upon the framework established roughly a year ago, when the WHO first approved GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide—commonly known by brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro—for the long-term management of adult obesity. The latest update formalizes the extension of these pharmaceutical treatments to the adolescent population. Data from WHO Europe highlights the urgency of this issue, noting that in Cyprus, one in five nine-year-olds lives with obesity, a figure that increases to one in four among boys in the same age group.