What if my child asks whether they could take the medication too?

Take the question seriously. Explain that this is a medical decision made with a doctor, based on each person's health, and not something to decide casually. Some GLP-1 medicines (Saxenda and Wegovy) are FDA-approved for some adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity, but whether that fits any particular child is a question for their pediatrician.

Talking to your kids about your GLP-1 treatment and body changes

Kids notice body changes and often ask direct questions. This guide covers how to talk about your treatment honestly and at the right level for their age, without passing on unhelpful ideas about weight and worth.

Updated Sep 26, 2026Evidence-backed

Kids often notice body changes sooner than adults expect, and they ask direct questions. How you answer can shape how they think about weight, health, and their own bodies. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises families to keep the focus on healthy habits, not weight, and to avoid "weight talk" and weight teasing at home (DOI (external link)). Your treatment is a chance to show that in practice, and to frame it as care for a chronic disease, not a matter of appearance or willpower.

Age-appropriate framing

For younger children, a short, health-focused explanation works well: "I'm taking medicine that helps my body work the way it's supposed to, kind of like medicine other people take for their heart or their blood sugar."

Older kids and teens can handle more detail about the medication and why you chose it. Follow their curiosity. With a teenager, you might say: "My doctor and I decided this medicine makes sense for my health. It helps with appetite and blood sugar. It's not about looking a certain way, and you can ask me anything about it."

If your kids see the weekly injection, a calm, matter-of-fact shot-day routine helps make it ordinary instead of alarming.

What to avoid

Avoid language that treats your body before treatment as something to be ashamed of, or that makes the conversation mostly about appearance. Kids tend to copy the way you talk about your own body when they think about bodies in general, including their own.

If your child asks whether they could take it too

Take the question seriously. An honest answer keeps the conversation going: this is a medical decision made with a doctor, based on each person's health, and not something to decide casually. It's also true that some GLP-1 medicines are approved for teens. Saxenda (liraglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) are FDA-approved for some adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity, alongside diet and activity changes (FDA (external link); FDA (external link)). Whether that's right for any particular child is a conversation for their pediatrician.

If the conversation brings up bigger worries about weight or eating in your family, a family therapist can help. Our guide on getting mental health support on a GLP-1 covers how to find one.

Kids will probably notice and ask whether or not you bring it up. A simple, honest, health-focused explanation, offered on your terms, usually beats leaving them to draw their own conclusions.

This is general education, not medical advice. Decisions about your treatment and your family's care belong with you and your clinicians.

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Common questions

Questions people often ask about this topic.

How do I explain my GLP-1 medication to my kids?
For younger children, a short, health-focused explanation works well: "I'm taking medicine that helps my body work the way it's supposed to, kind of like medicine other people take for their heart or their blood sugar." Older kids and teens can handle more detail about the medication and why you chose it, so follow their curiosity.
Should I just not mention my treatment to my children?
Kids often notice body changes sooner than adults expect, and they'll probably ask whether or not you bring it up. A simple, honest, health-focused explanation offered on your terms usually beats leaving them to draw their own conclusions.
What should I avoid saying to my kids about my weight?
Avoid language that treats your body before treatment as something to be ashamed of, or that makes the conversation mostly about appearance. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises families to focus on healthy habits instead of weight and to avoid weight talk at home, because kids tend to copy the way you talk about your own body.
What if my child asks whether they could take the medication too?
Take the question seriously. Explain that this is a medical decision made with a doctor, based on each person's health, and not something to decide casually. Some GLP-1 medicines (Saxenda and Wegovy) are FDA-approved for some adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity, but whether that fits any particular child is a question for their pediatrician.

Evidence: For & Against

Both sides of the topic, so you can weigh the evidence yourself.

3Supporting

Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents (external link)
Pediatrics, 2016 · Clinical guideline · Moderate evidence
Golden NH, Schneider M, Wood C; AAP Committee on Nutrition, Committee on Adolescence, Section on Obesity (2016) · Pediatrics
doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1649
AAP clinical report (reaffirmed 2022): the focus should be on a healthy lifestyle rather than weight; discourages dieting and 'weight talk' and weight teasing in the home. Supports the article's advice on how parents talk about their own bodies.
FDA approves weight management drug for patients aged 12 and older (external link)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020 · Clinical guideline · Strong evidence
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2020)
FDA announcement (December 2020): Saxenda (liraglutide) approved for chronic weight management in patients aged 12-17 with obesity, alongside reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, supplemental approval letter NDA 215256/S-005 (external link)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2022 · Clinical guideline · Strong evidence
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2022)
FDA approval letter (December 2022) extending Wegovy's chronic weight-management indication to pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity.

Revision history

Last updated Sep 26, 2026, 12:07 AM CDT · 4 revisions recorded.

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