Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs skyrockets among teens’ 

a teen girl speaking with a doctor in a clinic

Injectable GLP-1 drugs are not for kids looking to shed a few pounds in the short term. They’re intended to help reduce excess weight to improve health — with the understanding that people may regain that weight as soon as they stop taking the medication.

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By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs skyrockets among teens’  

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than four in every 10 U.S. adults have obesity. Think about the different aspects of our everyday lives — such as transportation, socializing, meals and leisure activity — and come up with one that might partially explain why it can be so easy for some people to gain weight. Be specific in your answer, and explain how this aspect of life might contribute to the high rate of U.S. obesity.
  2. Over time, weight-loss products and strategies can lose popularity as others take their place. Why do you think the popularity of diets and products changes over time?

During Reading:

  1. What year did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve the class of drugs known as GLP-1s for weight loss?
  2. What does GLP-1 stand for? Give two “trade names” for these drugs.
  3. Before being approved for weight loss, what condition were these drugs prescribed to treat?
  4. Describe how much the number of prescriptions for GLP-1s drugs among teens and young adults has changed from 2020 to 2023.
  5. Summarize the role of the hormone GLP-1 in the body in one sentence.
  6. How does the VIBES pill attempt to activate stomach receptors?
  7. How is the VIBES pill similar to intragastric balloons in terms of how they function?
  8. How long is the VIBES pill in millimeters?

After Reading:

  1. To what extent do you find it surprising that the use of these drugs among young people has increased so rapidly? Briefly explain your answer. What is one reason to be optimistic about the use of these drugs for weight loss? What is one reason to be concerned? What steps might we take now to help address this potential problem in the future?
  2. After reading this story, explain one of the reasons that some researchers express skepticism about the effectiveness of the new VIBES pill. What observations or studies do these researchers use to support their questions or concerns? To what extent do you agree or disagree with their concerns? Briefly explain your answer.