If you are a parent or a teen asking about semaglutide, the first answer is yes. One weight-loss GLP-1 drug does carry a label for adolescents. The details matter, though.
The approval covers one product, one form and a set age and weight range. This page sets out what the labels say and what the trial behind them measured. It is general information, not medical advice.
What the Wegovy label covers
The label states that the drug’s safety and effectiveness “in pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity have been established” [1]. That covers the weekly injection, used with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.
Obesity here means a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex. That is a percentile, not the fixed number used for adults.
The label lists what is not established in teens. That includes Wegovy tablets, the 7.2 mg weekly dose, the heart-risk indication, the liver indication, and anyone under 12.
For maintenance, the label states 2.4 mg weekly as recommended, or 1.7 mg. It says to weigh response and tolerability when choosing. The adult dose ladder is set out in semaglutide dosage.
What STEP TEENS found
The approval rests on one trial. STEP TEENS enrolled 201 adolescents aged 12 to 17 [6].
They were randomly assigned 2:1 to semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo for 68 weeks. Both groups also had a lifestyle program.
Mean BMI fell 16.1% on semaglutide and rose 0.6% on placebo. The difference was 16.7 percentage points (95% CI, -20.3 to -13.2).
On weight, 73% of the semaglutide group lost 5% or more, against 18% on placebo. In the label’s own table, body weight fell 14.7% on the drug and rose 2.7% on placebo [1].
| Measure | Semaglutide 2.4 mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Change in BMI | -16.1% | +0.6% |
| Change in body weight | -14.7% | +2.7% |
| Lost 5% or more of BMI | 77.1% | 19.7% |
| Lost 15% or more of BMI | 57.8% | 4% |
| Moved below the obesity range | 44.9% | 12.1% |
The last row comes from a follow-up analysis [7]. It found 44.9% of teens on semaglutide reached a normal-weight or overweight BMI category, against 12.1% on placebo.
A second analysis looked at insulin [8]. In 193 teens without diabetes, fasting insulin fell 33.6% on semaglutide and 10.1% on placebo.
Side effects in teens
The label says side effects in teens were “generally similar” to adults [1]. The gut effects were the most common.
| Reaction | Wegovy 2.4 mg (n=133) | Placebo (n=67) |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 42% | 18% |
| Vomiting | 36% | 10% |
| Diarrhea | 22% | 19% |
| Abdominal pain | 15% | 6% |
| Dizziness | 8% | 3% |
| Gallstones (cholelithiasis) | 4% | 0% |
| Hair loss | 4% | 0% |
The label names what was more common in teens than in adults. That list is gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, low blood pressure, rash and hives.
In the trial paper, serious adverse events affected 11% on semaglutide and 9% on placebo [6]. Hair loss on this drug is covered in semaglutide hair loss.
Why there is a 1.7 mg option
No separate placebo trial tested 1.7 mg in teens. The label says that dose rests on pooled modeling of adult and teen data [1].
The modeling paper estimated a mean BMI change of 15.2% at 1.7 mg, against 17.4% at 2.4 mg [9]. Its authors say it supported adding 1.7 mg to the label in November 2024.
Those are model estimates, not trial results. The paper’s authors include employees of the drug’s maker.
What about Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro?
The other labels answer this directly. Here is what each one says about patients under 18.
| Drug | Labeled for under-18s? | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | Yes, 12 and older | Weight reduction in teens with obesity |
| Wegovy tablets | No | Safety and effectiveness not established |
| Saxenda | Yes, 12 and older | Weight management, body weight above 60 kg and adult-equivalent BMI of 30 or more |
| Ozempic | No | Safety and efficacy not established in pediatric patients |
| Zepbound | No | Safety and effectiveness not established in pediatric patients |
| Mounjaro | Yes, 10 and older | Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes only |
Ozempic’s label states its safety and efficacy “have not been established in pediatric patients” [2]. Zepbound’s says the same [3].
Saxenda is the older daily option [5]. Its teen dosing is in liraglutide dosage.
Mounjaro in children with type 2 diabetes
Mounjaro is tirzepatide, the same molecule as Zepbound. Its label covers children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes [4]. It is not a weight-loss label for this age.
The trial, SURPASS-PEDS, enrolled 99 youths aged 10 to 17 on metformin, basal insulin or both [10]. It compared 5 mg, 10 mg and placebo for 30 weeks.
HbA1c fell 2.23% on pooled tirzepatide and rose 0.05% on placebo. BMI fell 7.4% at 5 mg and 11.2% at 10 mg, against 0.4% on placebo.
The label says children had more vomiting, abdominal pain and low blood sugar than adults [4].
What the labels leave open
STEP TEENS lasted 68 weeks. The Wegovy label’s pediatric sections report BMI, weight and side effects. They report no measure of height growth or puberty.
What happens to weight after stopping has been measured in adults. Those trial data are in what happens when you stop taking semaglutide.
The full adult record is in semaglutide side effects and how much weight you can lose on semaglutide. To compare options by goal, try the goal finder.