Qld kids in ‘deadly’ schoolyard Ozempic diet clubs

Secret playground Ozempic clubs are evolving as the next trend in dangerous, competitive dieting in schools with kids swiping injections meant for parents or buying them online.

Butterfly Foundation eating disorder coach, Lexi Crouch. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Secret playground Ozempic clubs are evolving as the next trend in dangerous, competitive dieting in schools, eating disorder experts warn.

Butterfly Foundation eating disorder coach Lexi Crouch has revealed that children are taking weight loss jabs from home that have been prescribed to a parent or are buying highly dangerous, unregulated semaglutide medicines online.

“While diet clubs have been prominent in schools since the 90s they have now expanded in more dangerous ways,” Ms Crouch said.

“It is of great concern that these weight loss injections remain too freely accessible for children.

“While diet clubs in schools have always been extremely detrimental and have the ability to fuel eating disorders, this is on a whole other level of danger.”

Butterfly has previously warned of the dangers of secret diet clubs that start as early as primary school.

Students avoid eating during school hours as they face constant body shaming.

“The weight loss jabs have become more of a problem in the last year,” Ms Crouch said.

“The effects of unprescribed medication and dosages can be detrimental and at times fatal.

“By taking too much and potentially overdosing, it can cause severe hypoglycaemia leading to unconsciousness and even death.”

Butterfly Foundation’s clinical and support services head Natalie Spicer said that weight loss medications can be extremely attractive to people with eating disorders — or those at risk of developing them — as they are marketed as a ‘quick fix’.

Secret schoolyard ozempic clubs are forming.

“In reality, these kinds of weight-loss medications can be very dangerous, with some people reporting alarming physical side effects which can lead to worsening harmful thoughts and behaviours for those with an eating disorder or contribute to an eating disorder developing,” she said.

“It is essential that there is more regulation around advertising these products, including education about the dangers of using these kinds of medications for weight-loss purposes. “Similarly, it is vital that doctors do appropriate and thorough consultation/screening of eating disorder warning signs before prescribing potentially harmful medications.”

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said the hype around weight loss injections is now a big problem for Australia’s youth.

The injections are not approved for weight loss in children.

“It is time for the Butterfly Foundation’s eating disorder education classes to be made compulsory in schools,” he said.

The foundation reports teachers often express their concerns about ‘official’ teaching or curriculum resources that reinforce harmful, stigmatising messages and food, weight and health.

“We often hear body weight framed as a personal choice, a ‘moral failing’ if people ‘let themselves go’ or gain weight – and then of course, there has been a huge increase in media attention surrounding the drug, and we’ve seen celebrities, particularly during the recent award season, that are noticeably slimmer than they were before,” Ms Spicer said.

In Australia 3.1m people experienced appearance-based discrimination in the last year, and 49 per cent of this was on the basis of their weight.

Over 77 per cent of young people have also received negative comments, or been teased, about their appearance.

Call Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit www.butterfly.org.au to chat online or email, 7 days a week, 8am-midnight.

Originally published as Qld kids in ‘deadly’ schoolyard Ozempic diet clubs