WellTeenMD is a physician-led weight-management program designed specifically for teens and young adults.
Our program combines care from board-certified pediatric gastroenterologists, individualized nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian, and weight-management medication — including GLP-1 medications — when medically appropriate.
Unlike medication-only or mail-order programs, WellTeenMD provides ongoing medical care from physicians who know your child and follow their health and progress over time.
WellTeenMD is designed primarily for adolescents and young adults beginning around age 12.
Because every patient is different, contact us if you're unsure whether the program is appropriate for your child or young adult.
Younger patients have different nutritional, developmental, medical, and social-emotional needs than adults.
Weight management during these years needs to consider growth and development, adequate nutrition, metabolic health, body image, a young person's relationship with food, and the sensitive nature of discussing weight during adolescence.
No. Medication is one potential tool and is recommended only when medically appropriate. Every treatment plan is individualized based on the patient's health, needs, readiness, and goals.
GLP-1 medications act on systems involved in appetite, fullness, and blood-sugar regulation. They can help some patients feel satisfied sooner and stay full longer, which may make it easier to reduce food intake and achieve a healthier weight.
Yes. Certain GLP-1 medications are FDA-approved for weight management in adolescents beginning at age 12 who meet appropriate medical criteria. Not every GLP-1 medication is approved for every age group, and medication selection is individualized by your physician.
Clinical trials specifically involving adolescents have shown meaningful weight reduction. In a major 68-week study, adolescents receiving once-weekly semaglutide along with lifestyle treatment experienced an average 16.1% reduction in BMI, and 73% lost at least 5% of their body weight.
Individual results vary, and no particular amount of weight loss can be guaranteed.
Certain GLP-1 medications have been studied specifically in adolescents and have established safety information for the age groups in which they are approved.
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal discomfort. Less common but potentially serious complications can also occur.
Before prescribing medication, your physician reviews medical and family history, other medications, potential contraindications, and individual risk factors.
Your physician remains involved throughout treatment. Depending on the situation, we may adjust the dose, slow the rate of dose increases, address nutrition and hydration, temporarily hold medication, or reconsider treatment.
Parents ask us
Age is only one part of the decision. Certain weight-management medications are FDA-approved for adolescents beginning at age 12 who meet appropriate medical criteria. But being old enough for a medication doesn't necessarily mean it's right for a particular patient.
We consider age, growth, BMI, medical history, weight-related health concerns, previous treatment efforts, family history, and the patient's own readiness and goals before recommending medication.
This is one reason medical and nutritional monitoring is particularly important for younger patients. GLP-1 medications reduce appetite, which can significantly change how much a young person eats. During adolescence, adequate nutrition remains essential to support healthy growth and development.
Our physicians monitor growth and overall health, while our registered dietitian helps patients maintain appropriate nutrition throughout treatment. Long-term data following adolescents who begin GLP-1 therapy into adulthood are still developing, and we discuss those uncertainties openly with families.
Weight regain can occur after weight-management medication is discontinued. Obesity is often a chronic condition, and the biological factors contributing to weight gain don't necessarily disappear after weight is lost. Some patients may therefore benefit from longer-term treatment.
That doesn't mean every patient will need medication indefinitely. We continually evaluate whether treatment remains beneficial and appropriate.
Weight loss can include loss of both fat and lean body mass. That's one reason we're interested in how a young person loses weight, not simply how much.
Adequate nutrition, particularly sufficient protein, and appropriate physical activity are important during treatment. Our physician and dietitian team works with patients to support healthy nutrition and body composition as weight changes.
This is something we take seriously. Adolescence is a particularly sensitive time for body image, self-esteem, peer relationships, and the development of lifelong eating behaviors. Weight-management treatment should never make a young person feel ashamed of their body or that their value is determined by a number on the scale.
Our approach emphasizes health rather than appearance and encourages teens and young adults to participate actively in decisions about their care. If concerns about disordered eating, significant body-image distress, anxiety, depression, or other emotional issues arise, we may recommend involving an appropriate mental-health professional.
We have clinical trials showing that certain GLP-1 medications can be effective in adolescents, with established safety information over the periods studied. What we don't yet have are decades of data following people who began these medications during adolescence.
That's an important limitation. At the same time, untreated obesity can also carry significant long-term health risks. Our role is to help families weigh the potential benefits, known risks, and remaining uncertainties for their individual child.
Not every patient responds to medication in the same way. If side effects become problematic, we may slow dose increases, modify the dose, address nutrition and hydration, temporarily hold treatment, or consider other options.
If a medication isn't well tolerated or isn't providing sufficient benefit, we'll reassess the treatment plan rather than simply continuing it.
For adolescents especially, we believe the patient's willingness to participate matters. Parents understandably want to protect their child's health, but successful treatment is difficult when a young person feels weight management is something being imposed on them.
We listen to both the patient and family, understand their concerns and goals, and help determine whether this is the right time and the right approach for treatment.
Yes. Your first five individual visits with a registered dietitian are included in the $1,500 WellTeenMD program fee. Additional dietitian sessions are available at a discounted WellTeenMD rate if continued nutrition support is desired.
No. Our goal isn't to prescribe a restrictive or one-size-fits-all diet. Nutrition counseling is individualized around each patient's needs, preferences, lifestyle, health, and treatment plan. Particular attention is paid to maintaining adequate protein and overall nutrition, especially when medication reduces appetite.
Physical activity is an important part of overall health, but recommendations are individualized. We encourage realistic goals that make sense for each patient's interests, abilities, health, and lifestyle rather than prescribing a single exercise program for everyone.
The WellTeenMD enrollment fee is $1,500. The fee includes five individual visits with a registered dietitian and participation in our coordinated weight-management program. Physician visits are separate from the program fee and are billed through health insurance.
Our physicians participate with most commercial insurance plans and select HMO plans. Individual benefits vary and may be subject to copays, deductibles, referrals, network requirements, and other plan provisions. Our staff can help determine whether our physicians participate with your specific plan.
No. Physician visits are billed through health insurance. There is no predetermined number of physician visits and no time limit on participation in WellTeenMD. Patients can continue seeing their physician as often and for as long as medically appropriate.
Coverage varies significantly among insurance plans. Some plans cover weight-management medications while others exclude them or require specific medical criteria.
We don't leave families to navigate this process alone. When medication is prescribed, our staff works with your insurance plan to pursue coverage when available — including prior authorizations, medical documentation, responding to insurance requests, and appropriate appeals when coverage is initially denied. We cannot guarantee that an insurance company will approve a particular medication.
We'll help identify manufacturer savings programs, coupons, or other legitimate discounted options when available and when the patient is eligible. Savings programs and eligibility requirements can change, and we cannot guarantee a particular price or discount.
No. Prescription medications, laboratory testing, imaging, and other outside medical services are separate from the program fee and may be covered by insurance depending on your individual plan.
There is no fixed schedule. Some patients benefit from more frequent visits while beginning or adjusting medication, while others may need less frequent follow-up once treatment is established. Your physician will recommend follow-up based on individual needs.
There is no time limit. Weight management is different for every patient. Patients can continue participating in WellTeenMD and seeing their physician for as long as medically appropriate.
Yes. WellTeenMD offers in-person care in Los Angeles and telehealth throughout California when clinically appropriate.
Parents and caregivers can play an important role in supporting adolescents, particularly younger teens. The appropriate level of involvement depends on the patient's age and individual circumstances.
We also believe teens and young adults should have a voice in their own care and opportunities to discuss their health openly with their medical team.
The first step is a medical evaluation with one of our physicians. We'll review your child's health and weight history, previous efforts, concerns, and goals and discuss the treatment options that may be appropriate.
No. Medication is prescribed only when your physician determines it is medically appropriate. Enrollment does not guarantee a particular medication, and insurance coverage cannot be guaranteed.
That's okay. WellTeenMD isn't simply a GLP-1 prescribing program. Medication is only one part of weight management, and not every patient will be an appropriate candidate. If a GLP-1 isn't recommended, we'll explain why and discuss other ways we can address your child's weight and overall health.
Depending on the individual patient, that may include personalized nutrition counseling, lifestyle changes, evaluation and treatment of weight-related medical conditions, or consideration of other treatment options.
Schedule an initial consultation with one of our physicians. We'll learn more about your teen or young adult, answer your questions, and discuss the treatment options that may be appropriate.
Still have questions?
The best next step is a consultation with one of our physicians.
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