Alarmed GPs urge families to tackle diet before allowing children to inject Ozempic for diabetes

Use of Ozempic in under-18s has surged to alarming heights in the past three years, with GPs urging families to prioritise healthy diets over diabetes drugs.

Health experts, like Dr Ginni Mansberg, are alarmed at the number of children aged 12 to 18 injecting Ozempic to manage diabetes.

Exclusive: The number of children injecting prescription drug Ozempic to manage diabetes has risen 700 per cent in three years in NSW, prompting alarmed GPs to warn families to tackle diet before drugs.

The startling jump in children as young as 12 being prescribed the anti-diabetes jabs is revealed in data obtained by The Daily Telegraph showing the eight-fold increase from 78 to 628 between 2021 and 2024.

Of the national total of 2832 under-18s on Ozempic for diabetes, NSW has 22 per cent of those on the drug prescribed through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The latest figures from the regulatory authority, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), are thought to be the tip of the iceberg amid concern more youngsters are also using controlled anti-diabetic semaglutide drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as other controlled injectables like Mounjaro, off label, to control weight.

The TGA does not approve Ozempic for weight loss, but Mounjaro and Wegovy have been approved for fat-loss purposes in limited cases.

Even where Mounjara and Wegovy are prescribed for weight loss, the TGA has indicated that is only “as an adjunct to a reduced-energy diet and increased physical activity” when certain criteria set out on the TGA website are met.

One woman said on an Australian social media site: “I’m here for my daughter. She was prescribed semaglitude and Mounjaro – GP wasn’t sure which was more affordable, however, neither really are.

“She has a PT and has changed her nutrition and is hoping to shift the weight and improve her health.”

Dr Ginni Mansberg says it’s important that families work together to tackle obesity. Picture: Supplied

The response was met with criticism from users of the drugs, saying she should exercise and revise her diet before injecting drugs.

Sydney GP Ginni Mansberg said the statistics, which did not include figures for over the counter drugs, were worrying amid anecdotal evidence teenagers were seeking prescriptions for semaglutide injections for weight loss, despite the associated risks and regulatory controls in place.

Experts also agree that medical supervision is necessary at all times.

“The PBS figures are only for diabetes, but private scripts for Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists, we do not get to see,” Dr Mansberg said.

“We can be super judgy. If weight loss was easy we wouldn’t have an obesity problem.

“We are living in an obesogenic environment, which is linked to arthritis, cancer, heart disease … we shouldn’t be smacking people who can’t stop eating the chips – they need emotional support.”

Dr Mansberg also said while GLP-1 agonist drugs could help, they “help prevent a raft of diseases but long-term negative effects of them can be bone loss, muscle loss and you can regain weight when you come off them.

“It’s worrying now that there are so many kids with diabetes that it is so badly controlled.

“They have failed two mainstream medications and lifestyle and are having to resort to injections.”
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Originally published as Alarmed GPs urge families to tackle diet before allowing children to inject Ozempic for diabetes