Efficacy and Safety of Once-Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide in Adolescents With Obesity: A Retrospective Study

BackgroundChildhood and adolescent obesity are increasing public health concerns in India and are associated with cardiometabolic complications.However, real-world evidence on the safety and effectiveness of onceweekly subcutaneous semaglutide among adolescents with overweight or obesity in routine clinical practice remains limited. ObjectivesThis study evaluated the efficacy and safety of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (r-DNA) among Indian adolescents aged 12-18 years with overweight or obesity. MethodsThis retrospective, observational study (IAH-BMR/072/06-26) involved 40 adolescents on once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (0.25-2.4 mg) over 32 weeks.Anthropometric measures (body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure (BP)) were tracked over time.Biochemical outcomes included fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PPBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, lipid profile, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and liver enzymes.Repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) and paired comparisons were used to assess changes. ResultsThe study population comprised 24 female (60.0%) and 16 male (40.0%) adolescents, with a mean age of 14.82 ± 1.78 years.After 32 weeks, semaglutide demonstrated significant mean reductions in BW (-15.20 kg; 17.2%), BMI (-6.70 kg/m²; 19.4%), BMI-SDS (-1.08),WC (-10.71cm; 10.82%), systolic BP (-8.30 mmHg), and diastolic BP (-4.50 mmHg) (all p < 0.001).Significant improvements were also observed in FBS, PPBS, HbA1c, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, TSH, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (all p < 0.001).Improvements were consistent across sexes.No adverse events (AEs) were documented. ConclusionsOnce-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (r-DNA) was associated with improvements in anthropometric and metabolic parameters among Indian adolescents with overweight or obesity.These real-world findings are broadly consistent with the reductions in BMI and improvements in selected cardiometabolic risk factors reported in the STEP TEENS trial.Larger prospective multicenter studies are warranted to further evaluate its long-term effectiveness and safety.