About one in eight adolescents who started a GLP-1 medication was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency within a year, according to a national study published online in Childhood Obesity on Sept. 17. The study found that 16.8% of the 2,031 young patients were diagnosed with at least one nutritional deficiency or related complication in that first year.
The finding comes as more pediatricians prescribe these drugs for obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes, conditions that often begin in the teen years. It does not mean families should stop a medication that is helping their child. It does suggest that bloodwork, diet, and nutrition support deserve a place in the treatment plan from the first prescription.
