GLP-1 age limits: children, teens and adults over 65

Short answer: Wegovy and Saxenda are approved for weight management from age 12 in both the US and Canada, and Victoza and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes from age 10 in both. Trulicity is approved from age 10 in the US but has no pediatric indication in Canada. Ozempic, Rybelsus and Zepbound are not approved for anyone under 18 in either country. For adults 65 and older, every label reports no overall differences in safety or effectiveness, with a few product-specific notes below. Sources are the pediatric and geriatric use sections (8.4 and 8.5) of current US prescribing information and sections 1.1 and 1.2 of Health Canada product monographs, checked November 7, 2026.

On this page: Approved ages, US vs Canada · Teen side-effect differences · Adults 65+ · US vs Canada differences · What to log

Which GLP-1s are approved for children and teens (all 8)

"Not established" means the label says safety and effectiveness have not been shown in patients under 18, so the product is not approved for them. Approval is always for a specific use (weight management or type 2 diabetes); a product approved for teens with type 2 diabetes is not approved for teen weight loss.

Medication	US label (section 8.4)	Canada monograph (section 1.1)	Match?
Ozempic (semaglutide injection)	Not established in pediatric patients	Not studied; not indicated under 18	Same in both
Wegovy (semaglutide injection)	Weight management from age 12 (BMI ≥95th percentile); 68-week trial in 201 patients	Authorized 12 to less than 18 for weight management; not indicated under 12	Same age floor
Rybelsus (oral semaglutide)	Not established in pediatric patients	Not studied; not indicated under 18	Same in both
Mounjaro (tirzepatide)	Type 2 diabetes from age 10; 30-week trial plus 22-week extension in 99 patients	Authorized 10 to less than 18 for type 2 diabetes, with metformin and/or basal insulin	Same age floor
Zepbound (tirzepatide)	Not established in pediatric patients	No data; no pediatric indication	Same in both
Trulicity (dulaglutide)	Type 2 diabetes from age 10; 26-week trial in 154 patients	No data available to Health Canada; no pediatric indication	US only
Victoza (liraglutide)	Type 2 diabetes from age 10; 26-week trial plus extension in 134 patients aged 10 to 17	Indicated from age 10 with type 2 diabetes as an adjunct to metformin, with or without basal insulin	Same age floor
Saxenda (liraglutide)	Weight management from age 12 with body weight above 60 kg and adult-equivalent obesity BMI; 56-week trial in 251 patients	Authorized 12 to less than 18, body weight at least 60 kg	Same age floor

None of the eight is approved under age 10. Wegovy's US label also says it is not established in pediatric patients for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events, and the Canadian Wegovy monograph says it has not been studied in children and adolescents with MASH. Saxenda's Canadian monograph adds that it has not been studied in adolescents whose obesity has a secondary cause.

What the labels say about side effects in teens

Each pediatric section compares the teen trial with adult experience. These are the differences the US labels call out:

Medication	Pediatric differences in the label
Wegovy	Teens had more gallstones (cholelithiasis), cholecystitis, hypotension, rash and urticaria than adults on Wegovy. Insufficient data on hypoglycemia risk in teens with type 2 diabetes, so the label says to monitor blood glucose before and during treatment. Not established in pediatric patients for reducing cardiovascular risk.
Mounjaro	Adverse reactions were similar to adults except for a higher incidence of vomiting, abdominal pain and hypoglycemia. Not established under age 10.
Trulicity (US)	Pediatric patients reported more injection site reactions than adults. Not established under age 10.
Victoza	Hypoglycemia risk was higher in pediatric patients regardless of insulin and/or metformin use. Not established under age 10.
Saxenda	One pancreatitis event, more self-monitored hypoglycemia than placebo, and mean resting heart rate increases of 3 to 7 bpm. Not established under age 12.

Hypoglycemia comes up in four of the five pediatric sections. Low blood sugar risk is covered product by product on the GLP-1 hypoglycemia warning page, and gallbladder events on the pancreatitis and gallbladder page.

GLP-1s in adults 65 and older

No GLP-1 label sets an upper age limit. What the geriatric sections give is how many older adults were studied and whether results differed. Counts are patients on the drug, not the whole trial.

Medication	Older adults in US label trials	US label conclusion	Canada monograph
Ozempic	744 (23.6%) aged 65+ and 102 (3.2%) aged 75+ in glycemic trials; SUSTAIN 6: 788 (48%) 65+, 157 (9.6%) 75+	No overall differences; greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out	Studied in a limited number of patients 75 or older
Wegovy	Weight trials: 233 (9%) aged 65 to under 75, 23 (1%) 75+; SELECT CV trial: 2,656 (30%) 65 to 75, 703 (8%) 75+; MASH trial: 138 (26%) 65+	No overall difference in effectiveness; patients 75+ reported more hip and pelvis fractures on Wegovy than placebo and more serious adverse reactions overall (both arms)	Same trial counts; limited exposure over 85; greater sensitivity of older individuals cannot be ruled out
Rybelsus	1,229 (30%) 65+ and 199 (5%) 75+ in glycemic trials; CV outcomes trial: 891 (56%) 65+, 200 (13%) 75+	No overall differences in safety or effectiveness	No significant differences; therapeutic experience 75+ is limited
Mounjaro	1,539 (30.1%) 65+ and 212 (4.1%) 75+ in seven trials; CV outcomes trial: 3,327 (50%) 65+, 705 (11%) 75+	No overall differences in safety or effectiveness	No overall differences observed
Zepbound	226 (9%) 65+ and 13 (0.5%) 75+ in two weight trials; OSA trials too small to judge 65+	No overall differences in safety or effectiveness	246 (8.8%) 65+ and 15 (0.5%) 75+ in weight trials; no overall differences
Trulicity	620 (19%) 65+ and 65 (2%) 75+ in glycemic trials; REWIND: 2,619 (53%) 65+, 484 (10%) 75+	No overall differences in safety or effectiveness	No overall differences; greater sensitivity cannot be ruled out
Victoza	832 (19.3%) aged 65 to 74 and 145 (3.4%) 75+ in glycemic trials; LEADER: 1,738 (37.2%) 65 to 74, 401 (8.6%) 75 to 84, 17 (0.4%) 85+	No overall differences in safety or effectiveness	No overall difference; greater sensitivity cannot be ruled out
Saxenda	232 (6.9%) 65+ and 17 (0.5%) 75+	No overall differences; greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out	Patients 65+ may have more gastrointestinal side effects; experience 75+ is very limited

Two practical points stand out. The weight-management trials (Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda) included few people 75 and older, about 1% or less, so evidence in that age group comes mostly from the diabetes and cardiovascular outcomes trials. And Wegovy's US label is the only one that names a specific excess risk in the oldest group: more hip and pelvis fractures in patients 75 and older on Wegovy than placebo in SELECT. Older adults are also more likely to have kidney problems, and dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea is a label warning in its own right; see the kidney and dehydration warning and its hepatic impairment section.

Where the US and Canada differ

Trulicity: US approved from age 10 for type 2 diabetes; Canada has no pediatric indication (the monograph we checked says no data are available to Health Canada).
Mounjaro: both allow age 10 and up for type 2 diabetes, but the Canadian monograph specifies use with metformin and/or basal insulin.
Victoza: both allow age 10 and up; the Canadian monograph frames it as an add-on to metformin, with or without basal insulin, when metformin and lifestyle are not enough.
Saxenda: both start at 12 with a 60 kg body weight threshold; Canada words it as at least 60 kg, the US as above 60 kg.
Zepbound: the Canadian monograph reports slightly different older-adult counts (246, 8.8%, aged 65+) from the US label (226, 9%), because it pools a different set of weight-management trials.

What to log for a teen or an older adult

Each dose date exactly as prescribed, and who gave it if a parent or caregiver helps.
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and roughly how much fluid was taken that day.
Blood sugar readings and any low-sugar symptoms if the person has diabetes.
Abdominal pain, especially upper-right pain after meals (gallbladder) or severe pain spreading to the back (pancreas).
For older adults: dizziness, falls and any fractures, which matter given the Wegovy SELECT finding.
Weight and height on the schedule the prescriber set, for teens on a weight-management product.

For other label sections across all 8 products, see pregnancy and breastfeeding, thyroid warning and contraindications, side-effect rates and drug interactions.

Sources

This page summarizes official product labels and monographs as general information. It is not medical advice. Do not start, stop or change any medication based on this page. Labels and monographs are updated; check the current version for your product.

Frequently asked questions

Which GLP-1 medications are approved for teenagers?

In the US, Wegovy (semaglutide injection) and Saxenda (liraglutide) are approved for weight management from age 12, and Victoza, Trulicity and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes from age 10. In Canada, Wegovy and Saxenda are authorized for ages 12 to less than 18, and Victoza and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes from age 10; Trulicity has no Canadian pediatric indication. This is from the current US labels (section 8.4) and Canadian product monographs (section 1.1) checked November 7, 2026.

Is Ozempic approved for kids or teens?

No. The US Ozempic label says safety and efficacy have not been established in pediatric patients, and the Canadian monograph says Ozempic has not been studied in pediatric populations and is not indicated for patients under 18. The same applies to Rybelsus (oral semaglutide) in both countries.

Is Zepbound or Mounjaro approved for teenagers?

Zepbound is not: the US label says safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients, and Health Canada says no data are available and has not authorized a pediatric indication. Mounjaro, the same ingredient (tirzepatide), is approved for type 2 diabetes from age 10 in both the US and Canada, based on a 99-patient trial (SURPASS-PEDS in the Canadian monograph).

Is Trulicity approved for children in Canada?

Not in the monograph we checked. The US label established Trulicity for type 2 diabetes from age 10 (a 26-week trial in 154 pediatric patients), but the Canadian Trulicity monograph says no data are available to Health Canada and it has not authorized a pediatric indication. This is one of the clearest US vs Canada differences in the class.

What side effects were more common in teens on Wegovy?

The US Wegovy label says adverse reactions in patients aged 12 and older were generally similar to adults, but teens had greater incidences of cholelithiasis (gallstones), cholecystitis, hypotension, rash and urticaria compared with adults on Wegovy. It also says to monitor blood glucose in teens with type 2 diabetes.

What did the Saxenda pediatric trial find?

The US Saxenda label describes a 56-week trial in 251 patients aged 12 to 17. On Saxenda, one patient had pancreatitis, more episodes of hypoglycemia confirmed by self-monitoring occurred than on placebo, and mean resting heart rate rose 3 to 7 bpm. It is approved from age 12 only with body weight above 60 kg and a BMI equivalent to adult obesity by international cut-offs.

Are GLP-1s safe for people over 65?

Every US label and Canadian monograph reports no overall differences in safety or effectiveness between patients 65 and older and younger adults in the trials, and several add that greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out. Wegovy's US label notes that in the SELECT cardiovascular trial, patients 75 and older reported more hip and pelvis fractures on Wegovy than placebo. Saxenda's Canadian monograph says patients 65 and older may have more gastrointestinal side effects.

How many older adults were in the GLP-1 trials?

It varies a lot by product. In the cardiovascular outcomes trials, about half the patients were 65 or older (48% on Ozempic in SUSTAIN 6, 50% on Mounjaro, 53% on Trulicity in REWIND), while in the weight-management trials only 9% of Wegovy and Zepbound patients and 6.9% of Saxenda patients were 65 or older, and about 1% or less were 75 or older.

What should a GLP-1 tracker log for a teen or an older adult?

Dates of each dose as prescribed, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and how much fluid was taken, low blood sugar readings if the person has diabetes, abdominal pain, dizziness or falls, and weight if the prescriber asked for it. Glidedose is a GLP-1 tracker: it records what the prescriber set and what happened, and never suggests a dose.

Is this medical advice?

No. This page summarizes the pediatric and geriatric sections of US prescribing information and Health Canada product monographs as general information. It is not medical advice. Whether a GLP-1 is right for a child, teen or older adult is a decision for their prescriber.

GLP-1s, pregnancy and breastfeeding
The 2-month and 1-month stop rules, breastfeeding and registries, from US labels and Canadian monographs.GLP-1 low blood sugar warning
Hypoglycemia rates from each label alone, with insulin and with sulfonylureas, plus Canada's driving advice.GLP-1 pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings
Label rates for pancreatitis, gallstones and enzyme rises, and Canada's do-not-restart rule.GLP-1 kidney and dehydration warning
Acute kidney injury wording and trial rates from each label, severe GI rates, and Canada's ESRD rules.Tracking GLP-1 side effects
A practical way to log symptoms so your appointments are more useful.GLP-1 thyroid warning and contraindications
The thyroid C-cell tumor warning, MTC and MEN 2, and each label's warnings, US vs Canada.