Weight loss injections can improve mental health and reduce the risk of suicide in obese teenagers, a major study has revealed.
The findings contradict previous concerns that drugs like Ozempic can actually trigger suicidal thoughts, giving doctors and patients peace of mind.
The US research, published in JAMA Pediatrics, is the first study to date to look at the impact of weight loss medication on adolescent mental health.
Researchers looked at 4,000 obese participants ages 12 to 19 who were taking semaglutide, the drug from Ozempic and Wegovy, or liraglutide, sold as Victoza and Saxenda.
Their health data was compared with that of 50,000 people of the same ages who were treated with lifestyle measures only and received no medications.
Despite fears that it may trigger suicidal thoughts, the weight loss drug Ozempic was found to improve participants’ mental health.
The Mounjaro weight loss vaccine will also be offered on the NHS in a bid to curb the growing national obesity crisis.
Overall, Ozempic was associated with a 33 percent reduction in the risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts over 12 months of follow-up.
The researchers found that the trend also continued after a three-year follow-up.
This comes after a study published by Imperial College London last year found that overweight children are twice as likely as their classmates to suffer from mental health problems.
However, the study found that adolescents who took the drug suffered a higher rate of drug-related side effects, particularly diarrhea.
Obesity among children ages five to 19 has skyrocketed in recent years and has increased eight-fold over the past four decades.
Across the UK, recent data shows that 36.6 per cent of children are overweight, up from just under 20 per cent a decade ago.
Last year, the World Health Organization also revealed that 37 million children under five are overweight worldwide – four million more than at the beginning of the century.
More than one million children have had their height and weight measured under the National Child Measurement Program (NCMP). Nationally, the rate among Year 6 children stands at more than a third, despite having fallen slightly since Covid began.
Ozempic is primarily a diabetes medication and is not currently available on the NHS for weight loss.
However, the study notes that the use of Ozempic to treat obesity in adolescents is “increasingly used.”
Experts warn that, although the results are promising, more research is needed in this area.
‘Since the original studies raised fears that these drugs could cause harm, subsequent studies have shown that this is not the case.
“Now, some are even suggesting the opposite: these drugs may have a positive impact on mental health, but they need continued vigilance on this issue,” Professor Naveed Sattar, an obesity expert at the University of Glasgow, told MailOnline.
“However, the results here may not be so surprising, as one might anticipate a favorable benefit when losing weight and engaging in healthy activities,” he adds.
“If the result is less weight and better mental health, and although the results are promising, we need larger clinical trials.”
Earlier this year, studies suggested that Ozempic could increase suicidal thoughts.
However, a landmark study by the University of Oxford found this summer that was not the case.
Oxford researchers found that there was no link between the drug and psychological conditions.
The researchers said their study could even apply to use of the drug beyond weight loss.
“Our results suggest that the use of semaglutide could go beyond the control of diabetes, potentially offering unexpected benefits in the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline and substance abuse,” said Dr. Riccardo De Giorgi of the University of Oxford.