Nutrition, Health Behavior and Obesity Research Lab

Adolescent obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition associated with substantial cardiometabolic and psychosocial burden, and a high likelihood of persisting into adulthood. Incretin-based obesity management medications (OMMs), including GLP-1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide (Saxenda®) and semaglutide (Wegovy®), represent a major therapeutic advance and support clinically meaningful weight loss. However, real-world evidence in adolescents remains limited regarding multidimensional outcomes beyond weight alone particularly nutritional adequacy, eating behaviors, micronutrient status, body composition, physical function, and psychosocial well-being, during a critical period of growth and development.

This is a single center, longitudinal, prospective observational cohort study conducted at the Rambam Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes Clinic. The study enrolls adolescents aged 12-18 years with obesity who are initiating incretin-based OMM therapy as part of routine clinical care, and will also recruit a comparison group of adolescents with obesity who meet eligibility criteria but are not initiating pharmacological obesity treatment. Participants complete structured assessments at three main time points: baseline (up to 3 months prior to medication initiation), follow-up at approximately 4-6 months post-initiation, and follow up at 12 months post initiation. Central outcomes include anthropometrics and body composition parameters, cardiometabolic and glycemic measures, nutritional status, dietary intake and eating behaviors, and psychosocial indicators. 

Setting

Rambam Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes Clinic, Rambam Health Care Campus (Ruth Children’s Hospital), Haifa, Israel

Research Team

Yaara Sitbon

Supervision 

Dr. Tair Ben-Porat

Prof. Ram Weiss