Grand Rounds: Semaglutide - The Answer to Pediatric Obesity Treatment?

Objectives (Educational Content) :

1. Summarize the history of Glucagon Like Peptide Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RA) to provide an understanding of the current use and indications for the drugs used today.

2. Describe the effect of Glucagon like Peptide throughout the body which will result in an appreciation of the mechanism of action of Semaglutide.

3. Review the indications and forthcoming indications as well as contraindications to help providers select patients who may be candidates for Semaglutide.

Target Audience:

General pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, psychologists, and nurses.

Identified Gap:

Despite the rising prevalence of pediatric obesity and the recent approval of Semaglutide for adolescents aged 12 and older, many healthcare providers lack sufficient knowledge and confidence in the clinical application of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs). This includes gaps in understanding the historical development of these agents, their physiological mechanisms, and the evolving indications and contraindications for use in pediatric populations. As a result, providers may be underutilizing effective pharmacologic interventions or misidentifying appropriate candidates for treatment, leading to suboptimal care for children and adolescents with obesity.

Estimated Time to Complete the Educational Activity:

1 hour(s)

Expiration Date for CE/CME Credit:

10-21-2026

Method of Participation in the Learning Process:

The learner will view the presentation, successfully complete a post-test and complete an activity evaluation.

Evaluation Methods:

All learners must successfully complete a post-test, as well as an activity evaluation, to claim CE/CME credit.

Disclosure:

The following presenter has indicated there are no financial relationships with any ineligible companies: Julie Eschbaugh, D.O. The following planning committee member has indicated that a financial relationship with an ineligible company: All relationships have been mitigated. The remaining planning committee/CME committee members have indicated that they have no financial relationships with any ineligible companies.

Accreditation Statement:

Akron Children’s Hospital is accredited by the Ohio State Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Akron Children’s Hospital designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Bibliography:

1. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics, publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/151/2/e2022060640/190443/Clinical-Practice-Guideline-for-the-Evaluation-and?autologincheck=redirected.

2. Daniel R. Morales, Fan Bu, Benjamin Viernes, Scott L. DuVall, Michael E. Matheny, Katherine R. Simon, Thomas Falconer, Lauren R. Richter, Anna Ostropolets, Wallis C.Y. Lau, Kenneth K.C. Man, Shounak Chattopadhyay, Nestoras Mathioudakis, Evan Minty, Akihiko Nishimura, Feng Sun, Can Yin, Sarah L. Seager, Yi Chai, Jin J. Zhou, Yuan Lu, Carlen Reyes, Andrea Pistillo, Talita Duarte-Salles, Clair Blacketer, Martijn J. Schuemie, Patrick B. Ryan, Harlan M. Krumholz, George Hripcsak, Rohan Khera, Marc A. Suchard; Risk of Thyroid Tumors With GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Diabetes Care 21 July 2025; 48 (8): 1386–1394. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-0154

3. The Discovery and Development of GLP-1 Based Drugs That Have Revolutionized the Treatment of Obesity | PNAS, www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2415550121.