Last spring, Chloe, a 15-year-old who lives in the US state of Georgia, was stuck. She had tried dieting with a nutritionist and exercising with a personal trainer, but her weight was not budging. She felt self-conscious and depressed, and struggled to carry her heavy school bag. When her mother suggested she try a weight-loss drug, Chloe saw it as a “miracle”, she recalls. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, thank God there’s a solution.’”
The teenager suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, which predisposes women to obesity. Doctors had offered the contraceptive pill to try to ease some symptoms, but nothing to address the obesity, and her mother was worried about the long-term effects on her health.
After taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, for nine months, Chloe has lost 25 pounds (11kg). She wakes up nauseous in the morning — a common side effect — but sees this as a price worth paying; she often felt unwell already. She accepts she is likely to need to take the injection for life, but she hopes it will protect her from diseases like diabetes.