More Faroese children are receiving Wegovy

More children and young people in the Faroe Islands are receiving the weight-loss drug Wegovy, a trend one paediatrician says points to a problem with childhood obesity. KVF reported that 18 people under 18 have received the drug since 2024.

The article also lists nine recipients in 2024, 11 in 2025 and 12 so far in 2026. Those annual figures add up to 32, which conflicts with the stated total of 18.

Wegovy may be prescribed to young people from the age of 12 under certain conditions. But the drug can have adverse effects, and its long-term effects on children who start treatment at a young age remain uncertain.

Rúna Olsen, a paediatrician with the Faroese Hospital Service, said doctors should be cautious about giving weight-loss medication to children. She said treatment should be handled by the service’s paediatric department and should not be treated as a quick fix for childhood obesity.

Olsen said the reasons children become overweight should be examined and their support needs assessed. She described prevention as the main way to address the problem.