RFK Jr: Beware Weight-Loss Drugs for Children

by Paul Batura | February 7, 2025 | Family

After passing out of committee on partisan lines, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is awaiting his final confirmation vote in the United States Senate for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary.

Writing in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, Jillian Lederman highlighted Mr. Kennedy’s concern that too many children are taking weight-loss drugs.

“I do not think they should be the first front-line intervention for 6-year-old kids,” the HHS nominee stated.

Back in 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics began including anti-obesity drugs in its guidelines for treating overweight children. You might be familiar with some of these medications given the avalanche of advertisements promoting them: Wegovy, Saxenda, Orlistat, Qsymia.

In September, the New England Medical Journal published findings from a late-stage trial of a weight-loss drug similar to Ozempic. Results indicated that obese children between the ages of 6 and 11 experienced a significant reduction of their body mass when taking the medication.

But just because something “works,” is it always a good idea?

At the time the trial findings were released, Dr. Roy Kim, a pediatric endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s in Ohio, voiced strong concerns:

“We do not know the long-term effectiveness and safety of these medicines in children,” Kim said. “While the medicine was well tolerated, there are concerns about this category of medicines and possible pancreas problems, thyroid cancer risk and bone health over the lifetime.”

Writing in Wednesday’s Journal, Ms. Lederman raised the correlation between obesity and mental health, especially among young girls.

More than 22% of adolescents worldwide exhibit disordered eating, and more than 60% of them are female. Girls also constitute 60% of the nearly 31,000 Americans 12 to 17 who took prescription weight-loss drugs in 2023—even though obesity rates are lower in girls than in boys.
Nearly 10% of adolescent females worldwide took nonprescription weight-loss products in 2023—including diet pills, laxatives and diuretics—compared with about 2% of adolescent males. Studies find these products to be concentrated among girls who struggle with self-esteem, body insecurities and parental or media pressure to lose weight.
There’s a troubling parallel here. As rates of diagnosed mental illness among children have spiked, so too has the prescription of mental-health drugs. In 1996 the share of American children on psychotropic medication was 3.9%. In 2022 it was 9.3%. Among children in foster care, it’s 35%. According to a 2014 study, psychotropic medications are prescribed to 85% of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 60% of those with bipolar disorder, and 57% of those with depression.

It’s not a coincidence that America’s escalating mental health crisis correlates with rising obesity rates in the country among both youth and adults. It’s what’s called a bidirectional relationship. People who suffer from depression are more likely to be obese – and the obese are more likely to be depressed.

Complex and layered problems cannot be ultimately solved by simply popping pills, especially when the individual is young and still developing. What’s needed most is an integrated approach, a strategy that will involve lifestyle changes. This is most likely to include a better diet, physical exercise, and better socialization habits, to name just a few of the responsible tactics available to combat obesity.

As Christians, we should also help our children see their bodies as a gift from God and treat them accordingly.

Many parents, especially mothers, have expressed hope that Mr. Kennedy will shake things up inside HHS. Parents are optimistic that the nominee is committed to reorientating healthcare away from the idea that pharmaceuticals are a cure all. Truth be told, most pediatricians and family doctors embrace this approach and are eager to work in concert with moms and dads to do what is in the best interest of their sons and daughters.

The “MAHA” (Make America Healthy Again) movement has many raving fans, skeptics and detractors. But as Christians, we can all unite in our desire to pursue policies that will enable our children and grandchildren to grow and thrive.