Pediatric Obesity
Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.
Effect of Amino Acids on Hepatic Fat Content in Adolescents (AMINOS Study)
Not Only Metabolic Complications of Childhood Obesity.
Childhood obesity, metabolic syndrome, and oxidative stress: microRNAs go on stage.
Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity: Assessment and Next Steps.
Childhood obesity: Implications on adipose tissue dynamics and metabolic health.
What's happening now
An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.
- 6 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q2 2027.
- Q2 2027Efficacy, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Liraglutide in Children Aged 6-12 Years With Severe Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Advanced Echocardiographic Assessment
- Q4 2027A Novel Precision Medicine Approach For Obesity: A Randomized, Multi-Center Trial
- Q4 2027EVALUATING THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF MET097, A FULLY-BIASED ULTRA LONG-ACTING GLP-1RA, IN PEOPLE WITH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY AND TYPE 2 DIABETES: A PHASE 3, MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL (VESPER-5)
- Q3 2028Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Cagrilintide s.c. 2.4 mg in Combination With Semaglutide s.c. 2.4 mg (CagriSema 2.4 mg/2.4 mg) Once Weekly Versus Placebo in Participants With Obesity
- Q4 2028A Phase 3b Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Different Retatrutide Dose Escalation Schemes in Participants Without Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Obesity or Overweight: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Trial
Clinical MilestonesView all 18Hide
- 2026-09-08EVALUATING THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF MET097, A FULLY-BIASED ULTRA LONG-ACTING GLP-1RA, IN PEOPLE WITH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY AND TYPE 2 DIABETES: A PHASE 3, MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL (VESPER-5)Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-07-16A Novel Precision Medicine Approach For Obesity: A Randomized, Multi-Center TrialResults expected Q4 2027
- 2026-06-09A Phase 3b Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Different Retatrutide Dose Escalation Schemes in Participants Without Type 2 Diabetes Who Have Obesity or Overweight: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind TrialResults expected Q4 2028
- 2026-06-02Weight Maintenance in Adolescents With Obesity; Long-Term Treatment With Semaglutide s.c.2.4 mg Once-weeklyResults expected Q4 2028
- 2026-05-15Efficacy, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Liraglutide in Children Aged 6-12 Years With Severe Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Advanced Echocardiographic AssessmentResults expected Q2 2027
- 2026-08-10Effect of Amino Acids on Hepatic Fat Content in Adolescents (AMINOS Study)Completed
- 2026-06-30A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial: Multiple Independent Sub-studies of Setmelanotide in Patients With POMC/PCSK1, LEPR, NCOA1(SRC1), or SH2B1 Gene Variants in the Melanocortin-4 Receptor PathwayCompleted
- 2026-06-16A Master Protocol to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of LY3437943 Once Weekly in Participants With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Who Have Obesity or Overweight: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled TrialCompleted
- 2026-06-12A Phase 3 Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of HRS-7535 Tablets in Subjects With Overweight or ObesityCompleted
- 2026-06-01Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab or Ixekizumab Concomitantly Administered With Tirzepatide in Adult Participants With Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis and Obesity or Overweight: A Phase 3b, Randomized, Multicenter, Open-Label Study (TOGETHER-PsO)Completed
- 2028-06-01Improving Access to Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obesity: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of PhentermineWithdrawn
- 2028-03-01A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Double-dummy, Parallel-group, Active Drug and Placebo-controlled, Safety, Efficacy and Superiority of Sibutramine IR/Topiramate XR in Overweight Adults With Comorbidities/ObesityWithdrawn
- 2028-01-17A Placebo-controlled Comparability Study to Compare Two Presentations of CagriSema in Participants With Overweight or ObesityWithdrawn
- 2027-11-01Parent Toddler Obesity Study (PTOS)Withdrawn
- 2026-11-30Megestrol Acetate Versus Liraglutide Plus Megestrol Acetate in Obese Women with Endometrial Atypical Hyperplasia: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Clinical StudyWithdrawn
- 2028-06-01ClinicalImproving Access to Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obesity: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of PhentermineWithdrawn
- 2028-03-01ClinicalA Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Double-dummy, Parallel-group, Active Drug and Placebo-controlled, Safety, Efficacy and Superiority of Sibutramine IR/Topiramate XR in Overweight Adults With Comorbidities/ObesityWithdrawn
- 2028-01-17ClinicalA Placebo-controlled Comparability Study to Compare Two Presentations of CagriSema in Participants With Overweight or ObesityWithdrawn
- 2027-11-01ClinicalParent Toddler Obesity Study (PTOS)Withdrawn
- 2026-11-30ClinicalMegestrol Acetate Versus Liraglutide Plus Megestrol Acetate in Obese Women with Endometrial Atypical Hyperplasia: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Clinical StudyWithdrawn
- 2026-09-08ClinicalEVALUATING THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF MET097, A FULLY-BIASED ULTRA LONG-ACTING GLP-1RA, IN PEOPLE WITH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY AND TYPE 2 DIABETES: A PHASE 3, MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL (VESPER-5)Results expected Q4 2027
- 2026-08-26ClinicalPharmacological and Behavioral Treatments to Treat Loss-of-Control Eating and Improve Weight Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery: Acute (Stage 1)Results posted
- 2026-08-10ClinicalEffect of Amino Acids on Hepatic Fat Content in Adolescents (AMINOS Study)Completed
- 2026-07-16ClinicalA Novel Precision Medicine Approach For Obesity: A Randomized, Multi-Center TrialResults expected Q4 2027
- 2026-06-30ClinicalA Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial: Multiple Independent Sub-studies of Setmelanotide in Patients With POMC/PCSK1, LEPR, NCOA1(SRC1), or SH2B1 Gene Variants in the Melanocortin-4 Receptor PathwayCompleted
Clinical trials
The current development programme across all trial phases.
Evidence coverage
How much of this condition's readable clinical evidence the confidence engine has incorporated, across its most-studied treatments. This measures coverage of the evidence base — not whether any treatment works.
Largest gap: off claim endpoint family (8, endpoint-family).
Research activity
Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.
Major themes8
- Pediatric Obesity7
- Metabolic Syndrome2
- Anti-Obesity Agents1
- Biochemical Phenomena1
- Cardiovascular Diseases1
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 21
- Feeding and Eating Disorders1
- MicroRNAs1
Leading journals6
- International journal of environmental research and public health1
- Italian journal of pediatrics1
- Journal of obesity1
- Nutrients1
- Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity1
- Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders1
Leading researchers8
- Ardianah E1
- Arslanian S1
- Barrett T1
- Barrientos-Pérez M1
- Belmonte T1
- Bossowski A1
- Caesar LA1
- Calcaterra V1
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
- "S. Maria delle Grazie" Hospital1
- "V. Buzzi" Children's Hospital1
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria delle Marche1
- Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital1
- Center of Healthy Weight and Nutrition1
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu1
Related conditions
Diseases frequently studied alongside this one. Number shows shared papers.
Disease profile
A grounded synthesis of the condition — overview, causes, mechanism, risk factors and current standard of care.
Pediatric obesity is excess body mass index in children and adolescents that is grossly above the recommended cutoff for age and sex. In infants younger than 2 years, it is assessed using standard weight-for-length percentile measures. The literature frames it as a common pediatric condition with important short- and long-term health consequences.
The supplied grounding supports a multifactorial etiology, but does not identify a single cause. It notes genetic and metabolic aspects in the literature, and describes excessive calorie intake as a context in which adipose tissue expands. No specific causal exposures or inherited syndromes are supported here.
The literature emphasizes adipose tissue expansion during excessive calorie intake, with changes in cellular and lipid turnover affecting adipose tissue size and metabolic status. It also links pediatric obesity with oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin disturbances, and dyslipidemia. These processes are associated with cardiometabolic complications and broader systemic effects.
Earlier onset of obesity is associated with longer lifetime exposure to cardiometabolic risk factors. The grounding also supports excessive calorie intake as a contributor to adiposity. Beyond that, no specific demographic, environmental, or genetic risk factors are directly supported in the supplied material.
The supplied grounding supports general therapy and drug therapy as literature topics, but does not provide specific treatment recommendations. It indicates that management includes assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors and screening for disordered eating and eating disorders. No specific modality or drug class is supported strongly enough here to describe standard treatment.
AI-generated summary grounded in MeSH and 5 peer-reviewed sources. Informational only — not medical advice. Generated 2026-07-07.
Reference
Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.
BODY MASS INDEX in children (ages 2-12) and in adolescents (ages 13-18) that is grossly above the recommended cut-off for a specific age and sex. For infants less than 2 years of age, obesity is determined based on standard weight-for-length percentile measures.
- Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
- Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
- Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.