WHO Urges Lifestyle Changes Before Weight-Loss Drugs for Children
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged health authorities to prioritize diet, physical activity and behavioural support when treating obesity in children and adolescents, rather than turning to medication or surgery as an initial approach.
The WHO recommends structured dietary, physical activity and behaviour-changing interventions for children and adolescents living with obesity. These measures can be delivered individually or as part of a multimodal programme. Digital health interventions may also be used, provided children receive appropriate supervision from parents or caregivers.
For children aged 0 to 9, the WHO does not recommend pharmacological treatment, bariatric surgery or weight-management devices. The guidance instead places comprehensive lifestyle support at the centre of obesity care for younger children.
The recommendations do not rule out medication for older adolescents. For those aged 10 to 19, approved obesity medicines may be considered when a supervised multimodal lifestyle programme has not achieved the desired results. Bariatric surgery may also be considered under strict conditions for adolescents with severe obesity.
“The foundation of obesity care for children and adolescents is not medicine or surgery, but access to comprehensive support that enables healthy eating, physical activity and sustainable behaviour change,” said Dr Luz María De Regil, WHO’s director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.
The guidance comes as GLP-1 medicines have become increasingly prominent in obesity treatment. Eli Lilly’s trispeptide products, Mounjaro and Zepbound, generated a combined $14.8 billion in sales in the second quarter of 2026.
The WHO’s guidelines place lifestyle intervention at the heart of childhood obesity treatment, particularly for younger children. Health systems will need to expand access to nutritional guidance, physical activity and behavioural support while ensuring that families receive sustained care.
For adolescents who may eventually require medication or surgery, the recommendations set out a more cautious pathway in which these options follow supervised lifestyle interventions and, where appropriate, clinical assessment.