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GLP-1 medications have become a popular tool for weight loss. But are they appropriate for all age groups? Short for glucagon-like peptide-1, GLP-1s are medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration that treat type 2 diabetes and now obesity. They work by mimicking a natural hormone in the gut that lowers blood sugar, simulates the feeling of fullness and slows digestion.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the FDA have approved certain GLP-1s for youth ages 12 and older who experience persistent obesity after a trial of lifestyle modification. However, a new review from the University of Georgia published in the journal Appetite suggests there is still uncertainty about how the drugs may impact adolescent development, both physically and mentally.

Emily Noble, a nutritional neuroscientist and associate professor in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences, answers some of the most pressing questions about the popular drug and what science says about its use in children.

Adolescents with obesity are more likely to also have obesity during adulthood. Once obesity develops, it's very hard to reverse.

Despite what you may see in recommendations from TV and magazines, this idea that making different choices will promote sustained weight loss is not correct, and the data back that up.

The brain is what governs body weight, and there is evidence to support that once obesity develops, the brain regulates body weight differently and this makes it difficult to lose weight and keep it off without medical intervention.

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