How Liraglutide Actually Works for Obese Teenagers Outside of Clinical Trials
Liraglutide reduced BMI in obese adolescents in a real-world Swiss clinic comparably to clinical trials, but 59% stopped treatment due to mild side effects or insufficient results.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
In a real-world Swiss clinic, 22 adolescents with obesity treated with liraglutide (Saxenda) showed significant BMI reduction comparable to clinical trial results. BMI-SDS dropped from +2.63 to +2.40 (median reduction -0.20, p=0.0003) with a large effect size (rb = -0.77).
However, 13 of 22 patients (59%) discontinued treatment — mainly due to insufficient weight loss or mild nausea. Among the 9 who continued, results were more impressive: BMI-SDS dropped from +2.59 to +2.08. No serious adverse events occurred. The mean treatment duration was only 8.2 months, and 15 of 22 patients had Southern European immigrant backgrounds.
Key Numbers
n=22 · mean age 14.9 years · BMI-SDS +2.63→+2.40 · median reduction -0.20 · p=0.0003 · rb=-0.77 · 59% discontinued · mean duration 8.2 months · continuers: +2.59→+2.08 · no serious adverse events
How They Did This
Retrospective longitudinal non-interventional study at a single Swiss pediatric endocrinology center. 22 adolescents (ages 12.5–17.5) treated with liraglutide received non-structured nutritional/lifestyle counseling with three-monthly follow-up. BMI-SDS and adverse effects were tracked over the treatment period (mean 8.2 months, range 1–18 months).
Why This Research Matters
Clinical trials paint an optimistic picture of GLP-1 drugs, but real-world results often differ because patients don't receive the intensive lifestyle support provided in trials. This is one of the first studies showing how liraglutide actually performs in a typical adolescent clinic setting. The good news: it works about as well as in trials. The bad news: nearly 60% of teens stopped taking it within 18 months. This highlights that the biggest challenge with GLP-1 drugs in adolescents isn't efficacy — it's keeping them on the medication long enough to benefit.
The Bigger Picture
As GLP-1 drugs move from adults to adolescents, real-world data like this is critical for setting expectations. Clinical trials for liraglutide in adolescents showed efficacy, leading to FDA approval. But trials include intensive lifestyle intervention, frequent monitoring, and highly motivated participants. This study shows that in routine practice — with less structured support — efficacy is maintained but adherence drops dramatically. With semaglutide and tirzepatide now being studied in teens, understanding why adolescents quit GLP-1 therapy is as important as proving the drugs work.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (n=22) at a single center. No control group. Retrospective design. Non-structured lifestyle counseling may not reflect other clinical settings. High discontinuation rate (59%) limits conclusions about sustained efficacy. Short mean treatment duration (8.2 months). The predominantly Southern European immigrant population limits generalizability.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would more structured counseling or pre-treatment education about side effects reduce the 59% discontinuation rate in adolescents?
- ?How do newer GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide (weekly dosing) compare to daily liraglutide for adolescent adherence?
- ?What happens to weight after adolescents discontinue liraglutide — do they regain what they lost?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 59% discontinued More than half of adolescents stopped liraglutide within 18 months, mostly due to insufficient weight loss or mild nausea — highlighting adherence as the key challenge
- Evidence Grade:
- Low-to-moderate evidence from a small retrospective single-center study with no control group. The statistical significance and large effect size strengthen the efficacy finding, but the small sample, high dropout rate, and lack of controls limit the conclusions. Valuable as one of the first real-world adolescent liraglutide studies.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025. This is very current and relevant as GLP-1 drugs are increasingly prescribed to adolescents. Real-world data from this population remains extremely scarce.
- Original Title:
- Real-World Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in Adolescents with Obesity: A First Longitudinal Single-Center Analysis from Switzerland.
- Published In:
- Children (Basel, Switzerland), 12(12) (2025)
- Database ID:
- RPEP-12815
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is liraglutide approved for teenagers?
Yes, liraglutide (marketed as Saxenda for weight management) is approved for adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity. This approval was based on a clinical trial showing significant BMI reduction. This real-world study confirms the drug works similarly outside of trial conditions, though keeping teens on the medication long enough remains a challenge.
Why did so many teenagers stop taking the drug?
About 59% discontinued, mainly because they felt the weight loss was too slow or they experienced mild nausea. Adolescents may have different expectations about how quickly results should appear compared to adults. The study suggests that better pre-treatment counseling about realistic timelines and strategies to manage nausea could help more teens stay on treatment long enough to see meaningful results.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-12815APA
Noordam, Cees; Eiholzer, Urs; Katschnig, Claudia; Stasinaki, Aikaterini; Dubinski, Ilja. (2025). Real-World Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in Adolescents with Obesity: A First Longitudinal Single-Center Analysis from Switzerland.. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 12(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/children12121716
MLA
Noordam, Cees, et al. "Real-World Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in Adolescents with Obesity: A First Longitudinal Single-Center Analysis from Switzerland.." Children (Basel, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12121716
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Real-World Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in Adol..." RPEP-12815. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/noordam-2025-realworld-use-of-glp1
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.