Funding outcome

Obesity is a serious health issue affecting millions of people worldwide. Many children and teens also struggle with obesity, which can make their lives harder and can lead to serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease. Currently, childhood obesity is primarily treated through lifestyle interventions, including exercise and diet. However, these interventions have shown limited success, leading to increased consideration of medications to help manage weight. Recently, we investigated the effects of semaglutide, a drug that mimics a hormone that is released from the gut, on heart muscle. Marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy, semaglutide promotes feelings of fullness, stimulates higher levels of insulin, lowers glucose levels, and reduces fat mass, making it popular for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, our findings show that semaglutide treatment leads to smaller hearts, indicating a potential risk to heart health. Given this, it is crucial to study the effects of semaglutide on the heart muscle of children living with obesity. The effect of semaglutide on reducing heart size may be more important in the young, where the growth of the organs is maximal due to the growth of the child. To study this, we will develop a unique juvenile obese mouse model that mirrors childhood obesity. These mice will be treated with semaglutide, and their heart structure and function will be thoroughly evaluated. We believe this project will give us important information about how this drug might affect the hearts of children with obesity.