Ozempic for Teens: Safety, Ethical Use, and Creating a Cycle-Aware Nutrition Curriculum for Adolescent Girls and Boys

The use of GLP-1 medications in adolescents has ignited fierce debate. Critics argue that prescribing long-term injectables to children as young as 6 or 12—whose bodies and hormones are still developing—is medically and ethically questionable. The underlying issue is that the US pediatric obesity crisis, affecting over 20% of children, stems from food system failures and ultra-processed diets, not an Ozempic deficiency. Experts agree that for teens, nutrition and movement should be first-line treatment before considering medication.

Parents are increasingly desperate for solutions to manage their children's compulsive eating and sugar addiction. Yet, they lack structured guidance on sustainable nutrition and exercise for adolescents. The ethical concern centers on creating lifelong pharmaceutical dependence in children who might otherwise respond to lifestyle reform. Many parents feel trapped between immediate relief and long-term responsibility.

Focus on generational education, not quick fixes. Parents should model healthy choices—home-cooked meals, family walks, label reading—and help children understand the “why” behind food choices. Teaching cycle-aware nutrition—how energy, hormones, and appetite fluctuate—empowers both girls and boys to take ownership of their health early.

• Calley Means (on Tucker Carlson & Mark Hyman, MD):
  • Criticized the American Academy of Pediatrics for endorsing GLP-1 use in children as young as 12.
  • Argued that corporate food systems and policy—not children—need reform, saying, “We need to unwind this.”
• Dr. Tyna Moore (on Mark Hyman, MD):
  • Addressed a parent asking about an 8-year-old with Hashimoto’s, advising to consult functional medicine rather than rely on medication.
  • Reinforced the need for personalized nutrition and movement protocols for children with metabolic issues.

Cook one full meal from scratch with your child tonight—no packaged or processed foods. Use it as a teaching moment about ingredients and energy balance.

• Mistake: Outsourcing health to medication.
  Fix: Treat GLP-1s as a last resort, after lifestyle approaches are exhausted.
• Mistake: Allowing constant snacking or soda access.
  Fix: Create structured meal times and eliminate sugar-based “comfort foods.”
• Mistake: Ignoring emotional roots of eating.
  Fix: Encourage open conversation about stress and body image to replace guilt with awareness.

• “I’m 18 and want to go on it because I can’t lose weight. My BMI is 28.”
• “Why not campaign against the food industry that pumps sugar into everything?”
• “Parents should model better habits, not medicate their kids.”

The childhood obesity crisis isn’t a medical mystery—it’s a policy and lifestyle failure. Parents can break the cycle by modeling clean nutrition, structured movement, and mindful eating habits. The best gift to a child isn’t Ozempic—it’s education, consistency, and confidence in their body’s natural intelligence.