Weight-loss jabs may boost mental health and reduce risk of suicide in obese teens, a major study has revealed.
The findings counter previous concerns that drugs like Ozempic may actually trigger suicidal thoughts, providing reassurance to doctors and patients.
The American research — published in JAMA Pediatrics — is the first study to date to look at the impact of the weight loss drug on mental health in teenagers.
The researchers analysed 4,000 obese participants aged 12 to 19 on semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy, or liraglutide, sold as Victoza and Saxenda.
Their health data was them compared to 50,000 people of the same ages who were treated with lifestyle measures alone and not given medication.
Despite fears it could cause trigger suicidal thoughts, weight loss drug Ozempic was found to improve the participants mental health
Weight loss jab Mounjaro is also set to be offered on the NHS in a bid to curb the nationals spiralling obesity crisis
Overall, Ozempic was associated with a 33 per cent reduction in risk suicidal thoughts or attempts over 12 months of follow-up.
Researchers found that the trend continued after a three year follow-up as well.
This comes after a study published by Imperial College London last year found that children who are overweight are twice as likely as their classmates to suffer from mental health problems.
The study did however find that the teenagers who took the drug did suffer from a higher rate of drug-related side effects, particularly diarrhoea.
Obesity among children five to 19 years of age has sky rocketed over recent years, increasing eight-fold over the last four decades.
Across the UK recent data shows that 36.6 per cent of children are classed as overweight, rising from just under 20 per cent a decade ago.
The World Health Organization last year also revealed 37million children under the age of five are now overweight globally — four million more than at the turn of the century.
Over a million children had their height and weight measured under the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). Nationally, the rate among children in Year 6 stands at over a third, despite having fallen slightly since Covid began
Ozempic is primarily a diabetes drug and not currently available on the NHS for weight loss.
The study however noted that the use of Ozempic to treat obesity in teens ‘is increasingly being used’.
Experts warn that although the results are promising, further research is need in this area.
‘Since the original studies that raised fears these drugs may cause harm, subsequent studies have shown that this is not the case.
‘Now some even some that suggest the opposite that these drugs may positively impact mental health however need continued vigilance on this topic,’ said Professor Naveed Sattar, an expert in obesity at the University of Glasgow told MailOnline.
‘The results here though are perhaps not that surprising as one might anticipate a favourable benefit when you lose weight, and engage in healthy activities,’ he adds.
‘If you have less weight and better mental health as a result and although the results are promising we do need bigger clinical trials.’
Earler 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.
Researchers at Oxford found that there was no link between the drug and psychological conditions.
The researchers said that their study could even be applied for using the drug beyond dealing with weight loss.
‘Our results suggest that semaglutide use could extend beyond managing diabetes, potentially offering unexpected benefits in the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline and substance misuse,’ said Dr Riccardo De Giorgi of the University of Oxford.
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